Heathens
by Owlskye
Summary: Raven Black is the fiercest and most notorious Assassin in Gotham. She knows she's labelled as a villain and doesn't care. But when Ra's Al Ghul hires her to kill the Prince of Gotham, she finds herself conflicted.
1. Ra's Al Ghul

You know, you tend to think of the weirdest things when you're in a crisis situation. Like... when you're in a high-speed chase in your black Lamborghini being chased by Batman instead of the police. That actually says an awful lot about the Gotham police force. And instead of worrying about the Bat-Mobile tailgating me, I was thinking about how I forgot to give my cat fresh water. This fucking sucked ass. I wish Batman could leave me alone for once. A girl has to get by somehow.

But fuck, dude. My cat has warm water right now. She probably even has a few food pieces floating around in it. Would you want to drink water with pieces of spaghetti in it? No, you wouldn't. So why would my cat do it? See, maybe this isn't the worst thing to think about right now.

The best part about being a villain is that I always manage to slip away. Batman could be choking me out with both hands and I'll still manage to find a way to safely get away, and go to a party afterwards and tell all of my Squad what happened. I took a glance in my rearview mirrors to see Batman on his Tumbler chasing me. He looked so serious, it almost made me laugh.

I drove to the left a little bit and slammed on my fucking brakes, sending Batman flying way ahead of me, and giving me enough time to turn my lights off and drive away to Tiff's Bar, where I was supposed to meet all of my friends. I can't wait to tell them how I pissed Batman off this time. It was always so fun to mess with him. I made it to the bar, and parked my Lambo in the back, just for safety precautions.

I went inside to see the whole gang there. Tiff's Bar was known to be where the criminals went. No cop ever came here, and not even Batman dared to set foot in here. I'm sure that he knows it would be instant death if he did. We got people like the Joker hanging out here, and his girlfriend, Harley Quinn. Even to someone like me, they were terrifying. They're cold to the core. Mr. Jay would shoot someone in the face and laugh immediately after. He gets enjoyment out of killing. Harley does too. I remember when Harley wasn't just Mr. Jay's toy to abuse and manipulate. She used to be a psychotherapist, and had her doctorate degree. I like to call her Dr. Quinn just to remind her a little of who she used to be before she fell into the Joker's greedy hands.

All the mob bosses came here, too. Now those guys were different than the Gotham criminal. They were rich, powerful, and controlled the city. Nobody could do a God damn thing about their corruption. Except me - but I can't kill them. If I did, all of these people would turn on me and they would hunt me. I simply cannot do that. Regardless of status, we all ended up at Tiff's Bar for a reason. Some of us have legitimate, actual reasons to be a criminal. Some of us were born without homes or families, which means no help whatsoever, and sometimes doing the dirty work is an easy way out of a hopeless life. At least, that's the road I went down.

I was born to alcoholic, crackhead parents. I grew up with basically no money, no family, sixteen, in the middle of Miami... Nah, just kidding. Actually, I spent my childhood growing up in Gotham. Since my parents were poor, we lived in the ghetto. It was filled with criminals who weren't good enough to make it to Tiff's Bar. Like, the street gangs and shit. Where I'm from, we had a street gang named The Diablo's. If you have ever met a Diablo, you'll realize they're all the same. Some wanna-be fucking gangsters who think killing innocent people qualifies you as badass. Ever since I started getting in with the big leagues, I've realized how pathetic they are. Most of the big leagues don't have a "kill innocent people" agenda. They simply have a "I'm trying to survive, so get in my way, you might die" agenda.

One day, my Dad left. Then I was left with my emotionally abusive Mom and I truly had nothing. It wasn't until I was about twelve years old that I decided to do some dirty work to get by. I was starving constantly. My Mom had no money for food, but somehow, she had money for coke and beer. It really pissed me off, but everytime I would beg her for food, she'd give me bullshit on how I don't deserve food for how naughty I've been. So... I would simply go out and steal food. It was shitty food, but hey, I'm alive. I would steal macaroni and cheese, hotdogs, simple things like that. Since my Mom couldn't afford anything for me, I would steal anything I needed. Clothes, school supplies, cleaning supplies, etc. Stealing wasn't as easy as I make it sound, though. It was very complicated and quite difficult. You'd have to calculate all the camera's and the direction they're looking, and figure out an escape route early on. I now have the luxury of not having to steal, but I can assure you that everytime I walk into Wal-Mart, my brain automatically calculates everything it needs to about stealing. This skill helps me in my missions, though, and I'm glad for it.

You must be wondering if I ever got caught. Yes, of course. How do you think I got so good? I would make a mistake and learn from it the next time. I would get caught stealing and would have to run from the cops, and since I did that, I developed a skill for getting out of tight situations like that. I guess I never have been caught, really. The police were never able to lay a hand on me back then because I was quick and clever, but they sure as hell found out I stole.

I like to blame my bad grades on my bad life, but deep down in my heart I know that's not the case. Everyone who gets bad grades wants to blame it on something. Their home life, their mental illness, the world, etc. I used to do that constantly. Some of it was true - but the real reason I had shitty grades was because I didn't try. The first time I admitted this was to a high school teacher. I didn't try because I was busy trying to survive, and I simply didn't see any reason to focus on schoolwork while I had reality to work on. I'm quite proud of myself for graduating high school, though. That just shows even the lowest of the low can pass. There truly is no excuse.

When I was in high school, a man saw me stealing. I noticed him watching me, so I tried to lose him. I walked around the entire store until I was sure he wasn't watching me anymore. When I walked out of the store, I heard someone yell out "hey!" to me. I immediately started running because I was one hundred percent certain that it was the guy in the store. It was. That fucker chased me for at least a mile until I just gave up and confronted him. It turns out this guy was a part of a huge crime organization. The one everyone feared the most, and he thought I was a perfect candidate for it. His name was Jacob Laine, and I will never forget him. I remember I didn't even let him finish talking to me, I was so disgusted. I told him to fuck off and went on my way. But Jacob was persistent, as was I. He would follow me around, trying to learn everything he can about me. He even called my school and talked to the teachers, trying to understand my temperament and my work ethic. I'm sure he was disappointed. But yet - he wanted me as a recruit badly. I didn't want to listen to it. The only crime I've ever really known was the Diablo's and I did not want to ever be a part of something so ridiculous.

Finally, he caught me again, skateboarding at night at a elementary school playground. "Raina Knight, after everything I've done, you owe me to let me explain everything to you," Jacob said from behind me. I wasn't surprised. I knew he was there. I could just sense him.

"How do you know my name? Oh wait, you know it because you've been stalking me. Yeah, fuck off, I don't owe you shit. Maybe you should recognize a lost cause when you see one instead of harassing them, yeah?" I responded in a snarky tone.

He smiled. "This is why you're perfect. You don't take shit. Just let me explain what we're all about, Raina, and I'm sure you'll think twice. Aren't you sick and tired of stealing everything to survive? Aren't you sick and tired of being malnourished? You can get out of this. Just let me explain."

I sighed, and then rolled my eyes. "Whatever. Alright. Go on."

Jacob then went on to tell me all about this organization he works for. They call themselves Assassin's, which made me turned off to the idea even more because that means killing people. I thought he meant innocent people. But it turns out that the Assassin's are high class as shit. They get paid millions of dollars for the people they kill and they only kill people who deserve it. They were talented as fuck. I was drawn in. Jacob wanted me to join the Assassin's because he knew I would be perfect. I had stealth, agility, endurance, and the one that surprised me the most of all, intelligence. I never truly thought of myself as intelligent. Probably because my Mother loved to call me stupid all the time and my bad grades. So when Jacob told me I was intelligent, I was confused and asked him why. He said it was because of how I calculate everything I do and how I always manage to get away with it.

Jacob Laine was right. I liked his idea that he was proposing to me and I did think twice about it. I wouldn't have to steal anymore. I would get real meals. I could have more money than anybody can dream of. I would have a purpose in life. And the thought of killing people who deserve it appealed to me. Maybe I was a psychopath because of that.

I said yes.

I spent the next two years training in martial arts combat and perfecting my other skills. I graduated high school and then started seriously being an Assassin. I got my uniform, which was all black, and a black sword that I loved. I had a blade on my wrist that would extract whenever I wanted it to. That was the Assassin symbol, the Hidden Blade. I have killed every single one of my main targets with my hidden blade. It just feels good. It's so satisfying.

My first kill ever was a man named Markus Wright. Markus abused his workers, and the police did nothing, and his business was thriving. My job was to sneak into his office and execute him so the vice president can take over the company and treat people fairly. Jacob had made it seem like I was going to be getting paid millions of dollars for every mission I do. Imagine my astonishment when I was told I'm only going to be getting paid a measly ten thousand dollars. I just had such high expectations about it, only for them to be let down like that.

After my initial disappointment wore off, I realized how much of a greedy asshole I was being. My entire life was spent in poverty, and there I was, angry about getting paid ten thousand dollars instead of a million. I didn't even have any experience, but if I did this mission, I would be finished with my training and finally be a proper Assassin. It became easy to accept the mission directly after reality hit me.

To say I was scared was an understatement. I was fucking terrified. I didn't know if I had the heart to kill someone, but that went away when I dug my hidden blade into a guard's back the first time. This was a dangerous job because there were guards everywhere and it seriously took major skill to even find Markus' office. But when I did, I killed him from above. I dropped from a beam and just dug my hidden blade straight into his heart. And that was that.

I cried for a couple days but seeing that ten thousand dollars sitting next to my bed felt pretty good. And eventually, as I killed more and more people, I stopped feeling bad and it started to seem normal. The pay kept getting better and better because people could trust me to get the job done quickly and quietly. My boundaries slipped after a while too. People would hire me and I wouldn't be so picky about which case I took. I used to want to kill only people who deserve it. But once you start killing like I was, you stop caring. I didn't kill completely innocent people, mind you. I killed high class fuckers. Joe Schmoe wasn't going to die but possibly Rich Bitch, you know?

I had to change my name for safety purposes. Not for myself, for the people I grew up with. Everyone in the criminal world know me as Raven Black, because I seemed like a little bird, apparently. Especially when I built my cape that allowed me to soar over Gotham. That was a difficult thing to do and when I heard Batman stole my design, you can bet he heard about it.

I'm twenty-three now and what they call a Master Assassin. I'm an expert at what I do, and I only kill for the most expensive clients. Everyone knows I'm a dangerous enemy, but a strong ally. That's why none of these fucks at Tiff's Bar want to fuck with me. They want me to be on their side. It's hard to be on any other side, considering what I do for a living. I'm just thankful that I can go home to my huge ass house, park my lamborghini in my garage with the rest of my nice cars, and make myself a full meal and sleep in a clean bed. Others may look down on me for having to kill people to be successful. But the truth is... I would be nobody if I wasn't an Assassin. My life matters, for the good or the worse. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

So, I'm at Tiff's Bar, and after this day I've had, I need a drink. Tiffany was my best friend and the bartender, and I told her how I annoyed Batman today. I saw him spying on the mafia and he was sitting on a wooden board. I snuck up from behind him and broke the board, sending him falling down to the bottom. Oh boy, he was pissed. It was funny, though. She laughed, but at the same time, scolded me. "You are basically asking for it every time Batman goes after you, Raven." She was right, and I won't deny it. It was fun.

After we were done with our usual chit chat, she pointed me to a table. There were people sitting there that I have never seen before. "Those guys were asking for you," she said. "Said they have work for you." I glanced at her, and then back at them. I wasn't worried about them being undercover cops, because the police couldn't really do shit here without taking a huge risk. Curiosity got the best of me, and I walked over to them.

"Are you Raven Black?" one guy asked. He had brown hair, but it was greying, and thick stubble on his jaw and cheeks. He had silver blue eyes, and was quite handsome. His voice sounded so badass, I was in awe. He clearly was not an average person. I nodded to him, and he pointed to a chair for me to sit down. "I've been told that you're the best Assassin around here, and to come to you. My name is Ra's Al Ghul, but you can call me Ra's. I'm the leader of the League of Shadows. We are an organization that -" he stopped himself, thought for a moment and continued "- fights for justice. We're like the Assassin's. We bring justice to people who deserve it." He smiled at me, but I was already calculating him on his character. It was shady to me how he stopped in the middle of his sentence, right after he tried explaining to me what his organization does. I didn't question it though. I'm sure I knew enough.

"Then why do you need to hire me?" I asked.

"Because this is a job that requires care and skill... and an Assassin like you is perfect. This job is ... extreme. The League of Shadows is more like an army, and we can't have an army going after this dangerous person. Understand?" he asked.

I nodded. "So who is it, why, and what's my pay?"

"Is that you saying yes?" he questioned.

I laughed. "No, Ra's. It's me wanting to know the basic details of my mission before I accept."

He chuckled a bit. "Forgive me, Raven. This person is very, very dangerous. He has the potential to destroy the whole city if he wants to. His company is building weapons that can destroy the world, under his command, and he needs to be stopped. We can't have a bunch of innocent people dying, and that's his plan. World domination. If you manage to kill this man, you'll be awarded twenty million dollars." Damn, that's my highest offer I've ever recieved. And the way they described this guy, they made him sound really fucked up. "So - are you in?" Ra's asked.

"Hell yeah. But I just need to know who I'm after," I said.

When he told me, I was speechless.

"Bruce Wayne."


	2. Rich Orphan

He couldn't be serious. Bruce Wayne? That rich orphan? It didn't make sense. I've never heard anything super bad about Bruce Wayne. Maybe my opinion was biased from when I met him. It was a year ago, and of course, I was on a mission to kill a woman named Lindsay Olson. I had to go to a huge party. I'd consider it more of a ball than anything. Only live classical music was playing and sometimes Lindsay herself would sing a song or two. It was a masquerade party, and we all wore face masks, even though we could all tell who was who. I remember I really had to look the part. I had to put on a black, form-fitting dress and put winged eyeliner on. I usually didn't dress that flashy or put makeup on like that. I felt really confident though when I dressed up like that.

Lindsay was singing, but I couldn't remember what song because I was dancing with a bunch of people. It seemed as if people were just throwing me around. I was dancing with a different person every minute. Bruce Wayne went out of his way to dance with me. He walked up to me, while I was dancing with someone already, and asked me if I wanted to dance. I accepted, and he grabbed my waist delicately. He was very good at this, so I just went with his flow.

"I haven't seen you around here before," he said, with a slight smirk on his face. His voice was cool and smooth.

"I'm new," I responded, as he ducked me to the floor, and picked me back up again.

"Well, I should introduce myself. I'm Bruce Wayne." Something was so amazing about this man and I couldn't pinpoint it. I just had this really good vibe from him, and I've never felt that before. It seemed as if I could look into his soul and it'd be pure. But I also remembered how his face has been plastered on every magazine, showing off his arrogance. He once walked into a restaurant with two models, and they started swimming in the decoration pool, and instead of leaving when asked, he bought the restaurant instead. It seemed witty and clever to me; but also highly arrogant. It didn't seem like I was dancing with the same man.

"I'm Raven Black," I said. I felt like I shouldn't have told him my name.

The song ended after that, and he let me go. "You're a very good dancer, Raven. Thank you."

"You too, you're welcome." Then he walked away. I watched him walk out of the doors, awestruck. He seemed nice, but so mysterious. How can he be out in public acting like a dickhead and completely change in here?

As I sat at the table with Ra's, I started thinking deeply about that encounter with him. I started thinking of the exact details. Bruce approached me, which now seems weird after hearing about this. I also noticed how he was snooping around Lindsay's stuff right after I did. He wasn't full blown looking through it. Just a glance, and then he walked away, but I definitely noticed. Even back then, I noted how mysterious he was, and how his personalities change. He was definitely hiding something. Now it all makes sense. He acts the way he does to hide his true nature. A weapon maker who wants to destroy the world. But... it still didn't feel right in my heart. If Bruce really was who Ra's said he was, then I have to kill him. For the good of the city... And twenty million dollars seemed like a hella fair price.

"So will you do it? If you do this mission, you could potentially save Gotham," Ra's said.

I let out a deep breath. "I... I'll do it."

Everyone at the table cheered. "Yes! Thank you, Raven. You'll be doing the world a favor, I assure you," Ra's exclaimed, a wide smile on his face.

I nodded, not really feeling it right now. They all seemed so happy, but I really had a weird feeling in my gut. I could just be sick from everything that's been going on lately. I don't know why I was lying to myself. This felt wrong. I needed to obviously make sure that Bruce really was making weapons, and if he was, then I'll kill him. If he isn't, then I'll tell Ra's to stick his twenty million right in the urethra. "How long do I have?" I asked.

Ra's thought for a moment. "Who knows when he plans to destroy the city? I'd say the maximum you can wait is six months. But if you find any information that he's going to do it earlier, well... you know what to do."

"Right." I sipped my drink. "Alright. I'll see you later, Ra's." With that, I got up from the table and left the bar. I can't believe I only took one sip of my drink the entire time. Now would be an awesome time to be drunk or high. I unlocked the doors to my car and got in, just sitting in the front seat for a couple moments. I need to plan this. I have to get into Wayne Enterprises, obviously. But how? This was going to be difficult. If it really is as dangerous as Ra's makes it seem, then I have to be extremely careful.

For the first time, I didn't even feel like driving home. I needed to walk to relieve some of this stress and think properly. I'll end up crashing if I drive. I climbed the top of Tiff's Bar swiftly, and set on my walk home. Do I go to Wayne Enterprises during the day or night? Do I put on some disguise or go full Assassin stealth style in there? Do I interrogate some of his employees? This was complicated. I could do all three. Yes, all three. Perfect. I can have some sort of disguise on to make it into the building, interrogate an employee, knock their ass out, and go stealth mode to look for more clues. Seemed like a good plan.

I heard the sound of a cape flap in the wind and I knew it wasn't mine. Batman must've been waiting for me the whole time. I turned around to see him standing there, looking intimidating as ever. His cape moved in the breeze and looked elegant, and his stern look on his face made it truly a sight to see. If only he wasn't out to kick my ass all the time, I'd probably like him. "Haven't we already had our round of fun today, Batsy?" I asked.

"There's no limit," he said, his voice growly as fuck. I wonder if that hurt his throat, because whenever I try to impersonate him, it hurts me.

I ignored what he said, even though I had a million comebacks already. "So you going to attack me yet or what? Or are we finally coming to a truce?" I smirked.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm here to talk to you."

"You think you should use your real voice or what? That can't be good for you," I commented, chuckling a little bit.

Annoyance shone in his eyes like the sun. "I've been watching you for a long time, Raven. You used to be honorable. Killing the corrupt, the abusive, the murderers," he said, and I started to feel my heart sink. Am... Am I going to get a lecture from Batman? "You were never a criminal up until now. You like to think you've always been one, always been evil, cold and vicious... but you weren't. The Assassin's are a respectable cause and you are a disgrace. You shouldn't even have the honor of calling yourself one. I just want to ask you - what changed you? Was it the money, the fame, or the fear you spread throughout Gotham?"

My eyes were wide open. I don't think I've ever actually talked to Batman before. I would just mess with him, or he would purposefuly try to fuck up one of my missions, and we'd fight. I don't think we've ever truly just stood around and talked like this. And the moment we do, he manages to make me feel like shit. But what the fuck does he know? He's not like me. He's not one of us. He goes around trying to get everyone arrested when he probably doesn't understand a fucking thing about this life. I don't need a lecture about the Assassin's from him. Calling me a disgrace? I'm starting to think Batman's real identity is my mother.

"So you're telling me that at one point, you were okay with me killing people? You're just as fucked up as I am. I don't need to hear this from someone who dresses like a bat to try and scare people. I need to go give my cat fresh water, so fuck off," I snarled. I leapt off the side of the building, and send the electric static through my cape that would make the fibers inside realign. When they realigned, I could soar across the city.

When I got home, I walked through the door to see glass on the floor and lilacs on the ground. My siamese cat, Galaxy, was sitting next to the shards, looking me in the eyes, her tail flicking against the ground. "Galaxy! You can't just break my stuff when I forget to give you water!" I exclaimed, grabbing a broom and dustpan quickly. "Such a spoiled brat," I muttered as I swept the pieces. Galaxy meowed at me and I knew she meant business if I didn't give her water now. I quickly did that to appease her anger, and then took a shower.

I can't believe Batman is disappointed in me. Actually, I can. I shouldn't let it get to me but damn... it's so weird and random of him to do that. I think he was listening in to the conversation at the table. I agreed to kill Bruce Wayne, and then he gave me that speech afterwards about how I'm a disgrace. I'm not going to care what Batman thinks of me. He hates me, I hate him, so I shouldn't really be surprised. He's been on a mission to take me down for a while now. I'm going to let it go. After my shower, I went to bed.

I woke up to the sound of glass breaking. I walked out into the livingroom to see Galaxy sitting next to the broken glass shards of a candle on the ground. Her tail was flicking on the floor and she stared at me dead in the eyes. I haven't even drunk my coffee yet, and she does this shit? "Galaxy!" I exclaimed. "What the fuck!" I went to her dishes and saw her food bowl was empty. Oh my God, I need to get an automatic feeder or something because I'm gonna eventually have nothing left in my house with the way she's acting. I filled up her bowl, poured myself a glass of coffee, sat down and started to think of my plan for today. I think what I'm doing to do is dress up as a pretty, preppy girl and ask for a tour of the building.

I put on a dark red blouse, a black skirt and some heels, even nerd glasses. I put my hair in a ponytail but I also made sure to tie a knife around my thigh, just in case. I grabbed the keys to my red Audi R8. I looked over at Galaxy, who was sitting by a picture frame, her tail tapping against the wood. "Galaxy, I swear to fucking God, if I come home and anything in this house is broken, no more fancy feast for you. Or treats." Her tail stopped tapping and she blinked at me. Like, a really slow blink. Sometimes I wondered if she actually understood me. I stared at her for another minute, before rolling my eyes, and leaving.

When I got to Wayne Enterprises, I saw a sign up for job offerings as an intern. That made me stop and rethink my plans a little. I could work here instead, and find out myself, and nobody could be suspicious of me. I'm sure over one thousand people have applied for the job already. If there is no possibility of me getting that job, hopefully the commotion going on in there will give me a distraction.

I walked through the glass doors, feeling elegant in my heels. Everything in here was so shiny and clean. I walked up to the receptionist's counter where a blonde woman smiled at me. "Hi! Are you here for the job?" she asked.

"Uh... Yes, I am." She handed me an application. I sat down and filled it out. I put my name as Raven Knight instead of Black, just in case someone knows that name and assumes I'm a criminal. I didn't even know what to put on special skills, so I left it empty. This whole application seemed empty. I was definitely not getting this fucking job, that's for sure. I still gave it to the receptionist, and she pointed me to a seating area that was filled with people already. I was supposed to wait until I got my interview. I'm glad I brought my phone because I played Flappy Bird for a solid hour, and texted Tiffany what I was doing, and she thought it was funny that I'm actually doing a job interview. When my name was called, I shut my phone off.

I walked into Bruce Wayne's office, and all I could think about was how now would be a perfect time to kill him. All alone in his office. But I didn't have proof he's done anything wrong. I had to wait. That's the smart thing to do. I will get my chance again, especially if I get this job, then I'll have a chance every damn day.

"You can sit there." He motioned to a chair in front of his desk, and I sat down. "Well, hello there," he said, looking down and reading my application, "Raven Knight. Huh, it's funny. I swear you look familiar."

"No, I don't. You're mistaken," I said.

He chuckled. "I'm pretty sure I've met you before. Wait, you're the girl I danced with at Lindsay's party. I thought your name was Raven Black, not Knight?" he asked. His eyes were shining in the sunlight and they were captivating. They were a bluish grey, and piercing.

"You got me." I smiled. "That was me. I told you a fake name just to stay safe. Sometimes I get guys stalking me, you know? A girl's gotta be safe."

"Understandable, especially with what happened to Lindsay," he said, a look of sadness in his eyes.

I looked down. "Yeah, a real shame... Never can trust anyone these days..." I mumbled.

"So, you're interested in applying for an intern position at my company. It says here you have no work history, and no skills. I saw you drive up in an Audi R8, so I guess I'm just wondering why you want this job?" He didn't seem suspicious at all, just genuinely curious. This guy knows how to act, because he definitely has something going on.

"I... um... I would like to finally have some work experience... and um... a reliable source of income... and... more skills." Holy shit, we should all sit down for a minute and thank whoever you believe in that I didn't turn out to be a normal person. I keep listening to the sound of my voice and wanting to puke because I realize how stupid I sound.

He smiled, and when he did, his eyes sorta glow. It was kinda... cute. Too bad he's got a dark secret or I'd probably think higher of him. "You could always just sell your car when times get tough, right?" He laughed.

I fake laughed. "Yeah, I could."

He took a deep breath. "Tell me about yourself."

What kind of job interview is this? I've never been in a real job interview but who asks that question? Does he really care about what I think of myself? "I am a girl, and I like to drink coffee. In fact, I actually look forward to my mornings because I love coffee so much. My cat is an asshole and breaks my shit when she doesn't get her way. Um... I spend most of my time outside, exercising. I am a car fanatic. I guess I have a good sense of humor. I cuss a lot. That... that's about it," I said. These words just keep coming out of my mouth and I'm angry at my mouth for even allowing my tongue to form these stupid ass words. I know this is not what he means by 'tell me about yourself'. He probably means if I like cleaning or some shit. I don't know. I've never had to do this.

He smiled and let out a little laugh, and I noticed that he laughs at me a lot. He must think I'm funny or stupid. What if he's mocking me in his head? I felt my body get hot then, because I felt embarrassed. Damn it! Why am I so bad at this? I feel like Snoop Dogg trying to give an inaugeral address while stoned. Unbelievable. "What's your cats name?" he asked.

"Galaxy," I responded.

He made a face like 'eh, not bad', and then scribbled something on a piece of paper. I could read what he was writing and it was literal scribbles. That was odd. Was he trying to make it seem like he's taking my interview seriously? Surely he can tell I can read that? "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

What?! What the fuck?! Are these questons what every normal person has to deal with? How annoying! He doesn't truly care where I am in five years. "I don't know," I answered, honestly. I knew saying that was a mistake so I tried to fix myself. "I mean... hopefully with a little work experience."

He laughed sincerely at that. Oh fuck. I really fucked this up and embarrassed myself in front of Bruce Wayne, my potential target. I almost felt bad that someone wanted me to kill him. He thinks I'm funny. I should never have to kill someone who thinks so highly of me. "I'll tell you what, Raven. I've liked you since I first met you, at Lindsay's party. I'm going to be making a serious risk here, but I think you can learn a lot from me and my company. Everyone around here constantly has a stick in their ass, so I'm pretty sure they can learn a thing or two from you as well. I'm going to give you the job, okay?"

My heart almost jumped out of my chest. "Really? Wow, thank you so much!"

"No problem," he said. "You start tomorrow. Be here at eleven AM. Don't be late on your first day. Tell Galaxy I said hi."

"Yes, of course," I said, in a rush. He clearly dismissed me and I left the building. I had to go tell Tiffany about this immediately! She was texting me asking how the interview was going, but I couldn't text her back until now. I texted her that I'll be at the bar soon, and I drove there. I was so happy. I actually got a job. Wait, I'm forgetting the point. This is a very good thing but this job is to solely learn what is going on at Wayne Enterprises. If they are building deadly weapons, I'll have to kill my boss. When I got to the bar, I ran up to Tiffany, exclaiming,

"I nailed that interview!"


	3. The Target

I woke up at nine AM the next day, thankful that my alarm clock woke me up instead of my bitchy cat. It was the day I started my job as an intern. As I was trying to decide on what to wear, I wondered if I was going to get paid. I certainly didn't need to and we all know why I am doing this job. It seemed kinda unprofessional of Bruce to not even tell me if I was getting paid. Whatever, it didn't really matter to me. What mattered is the mission. I got ready and put a little makeup on, making sure Galaxy had her food and water for the day, and head out.

It was a busy day for traffic in Gotham. I mean, yeah, it's usually fucking terrible but I really noticed it today. Honestly, I was trying to get my mind off my anxiety. I was nervous about this internship and for some reason, I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of Bruce. I thought back to my interview yesterday and I definitely embarrassed myself already. It took me almost twenty minutes to get to Wayne Enterprises, and when I did, I was a little annoyed by how long it took me to get here.

I walked up to the receptionist, who was a ginger with super bright green eyes and glasses. She glanced at me and had a wide smile on her face. "May I help you?" she asked in a sweet tone. I almost fucking forgot what I was doing here because I was kinda in a daze from her smile. It was like, so bright. Unbelievably bright. It was like staring at the sun. I felt like I should put sunglasses on or something.

"Uh, yeah," I started. "Um... my name is Raven Black, and I start my internship today and I guess to say the least, I don't know what I'm doing."

She giggled a little. "Oh, you're Raven! Ah, yes. Just head into Mr. Wayne's office and he'll assist you from there."

"Thanks," I said, and headed to his office. The wooden door was shut and I wasn't sure if I should just go in or not. What if I barged in and he's polishing a gun or something to kill someone? Then I realized that was ridiculous and just knocked quietly. I heard a "come in!" and then opened the door to see Bruce sitting at his office. He looked up at me and smiled, and then looked at his watch.

"Raven, just in time," he said. "You can sit there and we'll get started." I sat in the chair in front of his desk. He turned his computer screen off and turned to me, looking me directly into my eyes, piercing my soul. Ugh, I wish he wasn't handsome or this would be easier. Or so... nice. "First of all, do you have any questions?" he asked.

"Uh... yeah. I was just wondering if... um... if I was going to get paid? It's totally fine if I don't," I said.

"Oh, yes, of course. You'll be getting paid what any regular employee would make. Thirteen an hour. Is that alright?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah, that's fine." Truth is, I didn't really know if that was a good wage or not.

He smiled. "You say 'um' a lot. It's odd to me because you seem confident, but yet, not in your words."

Oh my God what the fuck? Why did he notice that? I guess I did say it a lot. He makes me nervous. That should be obvious. I was kinda taken aback. "You make me nervous," I stated.

He had a surprised look on his face. "Wow," he said. "I just... You don't seem like the type of person who gets nervous."

"Well, I am a human, so... and you're my boss," I said. He laughed.

"Sometimes it's easy to forget," he commented. He was really fucking with my brain, man. I'm just here to figure out if he's actually building weapons of mass destruction or not. I'm not here for him to spiritually speak to my soul. Bruce Wayne is not the man I expected him to be. It seemed more like he was studying me more than I was studying him. What did he even mean by that? He forgets I'm human? I've met him once before. With all these girls that he meets, I'd expect him to forget me, but he didn't. And yet here is saying he forgets I'm human. I didn't know whether to brush it off or say something. Before I could even say anything, he moved on.

"I didn't hire you to do regular intern work. You're mostly going to work with me and help me. Almost as if you're my assistant, but not that title. I might have regular intern jobs for you, and I might have odd ones. Since we're going to be working with each other so much, I might as well be honest with you. I simply cannot handle all the work I do. I lead a busy life; and that is why I hired you. To simply help. Is that okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. I'm just here for the experience." It seemed odd that at night, I was flying around Gotham killing people and during the day I'm fetching Starbucks for Bruce Wayne. I don't know if that's what I'm going to be doing but you get the idea. This wasn't exactly what I wanted either. If I'm constantly with Bruce, how will I ever find out if he's actually building weapons or not? How long am I going to have to wait to figure it out? I have other work to do. Bruce is not my only target right now.

"Now you're not saying 'um' anymore." He smirked.

Son of a bitch! I didn't want to disrespect my new boss, but shit. He needs to stop doing this to me. I've never had heat flashes but now I am. I have to remind myself that yes, I hate Bruce Wayne and that my mission is to kill him. I wish I could just get over this and kill him already but a part of me needs the truth. And another part of me also wants to know what goes on in his head. It's odd to me that he said I seemed confident and it's easy to forget I'm human. Why? How could I possibly seem confident to him? If anything, I look like I clearly don't know what I'm doing.

"I really don't understand how I come off as confident to you," I stated. It's true.

"It's not you, Raven, that comes off as confident to me. It's -" he sighed. "Never mind. Just forget I said it." I wish he would make eye contact with me so I could read him. Maybe him looking down could say a lot more than his eyes. My mind is whirling. I have never met someone so mysterious, and I want to know what's in his head. I think I'm more curious as to what he's thinking about me than weapons. If I killed him, I could know. I can access his memories and learn. I felt a weird heavy feeling in my heart when I thought of that.

"Why did you hire me?" I asked.

He looked in my eyes again. "I told you already."

"Not the truth," I commented, and his eyes widened. Then they narrowed again. He opened a drawer in his desk and took out some paperwork.

"You can fill these out and be done for the day." He had a cold undertone to his voice. There was a knock at the door and a man with grey hair and a black suit came in. He looked at me and then back at Bruce.

He coughed before he started talking. "Is this a bad time Mr. Wayne?" he asked.

"Kinda, Lucius," Bruce said.

"Can I talk to you out in the hallway?" Lucius asked. Bruce didn't even respond, he just got up and walked out of his office, leaving me in there alone. This would be a perfect opportunity to go through his computer but my instincts told me not to. It was a good thing because he was barely gone for an entire minute. I had already signed some of my papers, and I didn't know what to do for the taxes one. Bruce sat down and I think he could sense I needed help with it.

"Do you have any questions on that?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah..." I pushed the sheet to him.

"Oh! Just put all zero's," he said, and I did exactly as he said. I gave him all of the paperwork back but then I thought about how I just trusted him on his word right there. I shouldn't have. That was a bad move. Look at what this man is fucking doing to me already.

"So what time do you want me here tomorrow?" I asked.

He thought for a moment. "Same time. Tomorrow you can just walk right into my office. You don't have to go to Beth."

I nodded, and then I left. I could feel his eyes burning on me as I walked out. Something was so off about him, and I just had this weird feeling that he's not what he seems. I mean, obviously, or else I wouldn't be here. But the look on his face when I said he wasn't telling the truth... I think I was the one being hunted. The rational part of my brain also says that all of this could be perfectly explainable. Maybe I seem confident to him because of when we danced together, and maybe he just got mad that I said he wasn't telling the truth when he was. Oh, fuck it, we all know something is weird about him and I'm going to get to the bottom of it.

For right now, I'm going to forget about Bruce Wayne and his mysterious nature and focus on my targets right now. When I got in my car, I got a call from a blocked number. "Hello?"

"Raven, tonight is the deadline to dispose of Adam. Are you going to do it or not?" a man asked. It took me a couple of seconds to remember who he was. It was Steven Anderson, a mob boss. He wanted me to kill Adam Bolte, another mob boss who ripped him off. My pay would be five million.

"Yes," was all I said, and then we hung up. We have to be careful with our conversations. One day they might send the FBI after me and go through my phone, and then I'll probably be sentenced to death from electric chair. Before I was going to kill anyone, I needed to go and talk to Tiffany, so I drove to her bar. When I got there, nobody else was there except for her and she was just cleaning.

"Hey, how was your first day of work?" she asked.

"I don't know," I said. I sat on a bar stool, and sighed.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "Raven, you're not acting like yourself."

"It's fucking Bruce Wayne! Tiffany, you don't understand. He's so... confusing. I need to get inside his head without killing him but I fucking can't because he's good at hiding. It sounds weird but I can barely read his emotions. He's so well composed. Like a killer, but something tells me that he's not. I just don't fucking get it, dude!"

"Wow. I've never seen you get so into a target like this," she commented.

"He's different. This whole situation is fucked. I mean, I should've just killed him when I had the chance, and I've had several. But I can't. I need to know the truth and for me, the only way of knowing the truth is to kill him. I'm not good at human interaction." As I said that, my mind raced back to when he said it was easy to forget I'm human. God dammit, what does he mean by that?!

"I know." She laughed and it made me smile. "You really have to play the part for this one, Raven. Just calm down and think it out. Remember, just because he's the richest person in Gotham doesn't mean he's powerful. He could be, and maybe he's purposefully fucking with your head to make you lose your A-game."

"Holy shit, you're probably right. I need to focus."

"Exactly. Don't let him play mind games with you. You're Raven Black, the most dangerous Assassin in Gotham. There is no one who isn't slightly scared of you. Don't let a target throw you off," Tiffany said.

I took a deep breath. She was absolutely right. I am not going to let Bruce Wayne get into my head like this. Just because he owns a company doesn't mean he can throw me off my game. I wish I didn't have this mission because I'm already sick and tired of it. I should just kill him tomorrow. No, wait, I can't. Fuck. You know what, I'm going to forget about him for just the night because I really do need to focus my attention on killing Adam Bolte. I thanked Tiffany for talking some sense to me, and then I drove home. I needed to go and take a nap so I was alert for the night and eat.

When I got home, I decided to make something healthy so I don't shit my pants while I'm trying to sneak around tonight. I had chicken salad, and then I went layed down. I set an alarm for six PM, and it was two right now, so that would give me four hours of bliss. After having probably the worst sleep of my life because all I could think about was Bruce, I got up and stretched. I was alert but I was still kinda tired. I put my Assassin outfit on, filled Galaxy's food and water, then left.

I flew up to the top of a skyscraper so I could figure out a plan. Adam was going to be in his own warehouse, surrounded by his guards. Those guards were loaded with guns. Ugh, I hate guns. That's probably the only thing Batman and I agree about. I don't use guns because I don't need them to be dangerous. You can hand a gun to a toddler and all of a sudden, that toddler is really fucking dangerous. You hand a knife to a toddler, they could hurt you but the toddler would have to really try. With a gun, any dumb fuck can pull the trigger and boom, someone's dead. It's a coward's weapon, if you ask me. But since guns were so lethal; I had to be careful. The best route to take on this is to be stealthy all the way up to Adam. I don't like getting shot. It hurts a lot.

I flew to a building directly by Adam's warehouse, and searched for ways to get in. There was an open roof window, but I'm not stupid. That window was monitored and it's there to fool any other dumbass. They want you to go through that, where they have machine guns aimed towards that window. You'll drop in and die before you even have the chance to realize you fucked up.

There was guards by the front door. It was a dangerous route but it was the only other way. From where I stood, I threw a knife at one of the guards throats, and then ducked. The other guard ran to his side, and then frantically looked around. What surprised me the most is that he dropped his gun and ran away. That was the best decision he could've possibly made. I carefully leapt down the building and went to the dead guard's side. I took his card, and then swiped it on the scanner beside the door. It opened, and it lead into an unguarded hallway. I could hear the murmur of voices. This warehouse was like an abandoned factory. It had walls, but the walls didn't go all the way up to the ceiling. And from here, I could see Adam's office since it was above everything else. I claw-shotted to the highest beam there was, and where it was dark.

I could see the guards and also Adam's employees. They were distributing guns. I'm surprised Batman didn't make it here before I did. There was three guards outside Adam's door, and there was ten of them on the floor, patrolling. I might have to do all my killing from high up. I started calculating my options. If I used a poison dart on a guard on the floor, he would go crazy and get in a fight with everyone. That would lure the guard's by Adam's door to go see what was going on. But the poisoned guard wouldn't live for long and they would realize something was up. I wasn't going to do that one right now, so I came up with another option.

There was an open area where two guards were standing pretty close to each other, so I dropped down quickly, driving my hidden blade into one guard, and snapping the other ones neck, then I claw shotted back up to a beam. Nobody was focused on those guards so nobody noticed what just happened, but they would in at least a minute. So I waited. I saw another guard look over to the dead ones, and gasp, and that's when I threw my smoke bomb, smoking the place out. I dropped down and swiftly killed him, and through the screaming and coughing, was able to kill two more. I went back up to the beam. That was five guards down. Eight more to go. Everyone on the floor was freaking out and as the smoke cleared up, I sent my poison dart flying to a guard on the floor. Almost immediately, he started shooting the employees and guards. He killed four guards, and probably seven employees. Another guard shot him in the head before he could do any more damage. Three more guards to go.

All of the employees were freaking out because this all happened in less than three minutes, and they couldn't find me. The three guards by Adam's door had their guns aimed at nothing, but at least they were trying. I threw a knife at one guard's throat, and he went down. That distracted the other two and I successfully dropped down and did the same move on them as I did with the other guards. I stabbed one, and broke the others neck. I was directly by Adam's office now, and I could see him through the windows. I broke the glass by kicking it and jumped in, but before I was able to kill him, Adam started talking to me.

"You've finally got me," he said. "Well then, kill me." He handed me a small pistol-like gun. "I bet you don't have the fucking balls to do it." I wasn't going to sit here and play mind games with him, so I took a bullet from a bag on my waist and loaded the gun. I knew what game he was trying to play. He either expected me to drop the gun and give up like a pansy, or try to shoot him and realize the gun wasn't loaded so he could ambush me. So, naturally, I loaded the gun myself. "Wait-" Adam tried to say as he realized what I was doing, but I had already aimed the gun at his head and fired.

When I kill a target, I'm able to access their memories and briefly talk to them before they pass. Adam's memories flashed in front of me. I could hear children laughing, and I could see a campsite-like scene. I saw a man grilling, and children playing. The man looked in my direction and smiled. "Go on, son. Play with the others," he said. Then the memories changed to Adam running while others screamed. Then it changed to him kneeling beside the same man who was grilling, except he wasn't moving, and Adam had bloods on his hands. "I will kill whoever did this to you," Adam whispered. The memories changed to Adam walking up to Carmine Falcone, the most legendary mob boss in Gotham, and demanding a job. Then it changed to Adam standing over another dead body, with blood on his hands again, and laughing. Then they ended, and I was in the white room. The white room is where I can talk to my target before they die. Adam was laying down in the white room, blood all over his face, and I was kneeling next to him.

"You don't use guns," he whispered, almost barely audible.

"I don't. I'm a criminal, Adam. I don't follow the rules," I said.

"Do you think I'm going to go to Hell?" he asked.

"I don't know," I murmured. "If there is one, we'll all be there with you. Unless God has mercy on you."

"You don't believe in God, do you?"

"No," I said.

"If he's real, I'd gladly burn in Hell," Adam said. "Where the fuck has he been? People are starving and dying, and where is he? Where was he when my Dad died?"

I sighed. This was the hard part of killing criminals. You find out who they really are underneath, and you understand them. This is why being an Assassin is hard. We have this gift. We can access their memories and learn who they are. Adam was just a lost soul; like the most of us. I have killed people who are just fucked up naturally. But killing people like Adam haunts me. Because he's exactly like me. "I'll see you in the next life, Adam," I coo'd to him. I heard him let go of his last breath, and then I closed his eyes with my fingers. The white room spiraled around me, and then I was back in reality.

I was standing next to Adam's dead body in his office, and I heard sirens. This was an easy escape because Adam had a backdoor in his office, and I just left. I jumped off the ledge and flew to the top of a skyscraper, while I watched as people ran out of Adam's warehouse. The police were swarming that area. I bet that guard who ran away called the cops. The thought made me laugh. That guy knew it was over, and I bet he snitched so he'd have less time in prison.

I was utterly exhausted, and I felt like shit. I didn't want to stick around for more than I had to. I didn't even want to go to Tiff's Bar. I just wanted to go home and lay down forever. I flew home, and when I got there, I collapsed on my bed.


	4. Wayne Manor

The next morning, I was fucking exhausted but I had to get up and go to "work." I was so excited for Bruce Wayne to fuck with my mind that I hit the snooze button on my phone. After ten minutes, I finally got up and got myself a cup of coffee. I sat at my kitchen table and went on my laptop to check my bank account. Steven did give me my five million, which was good. I went and quickly took a shower and got ready, and left the house and drove my white Porsche 918 Spyder to Wayne Enterprises. When I got there and got out of my car, some guy stared at me with his jaw almost to the floor. I laughed a little and went inside. I remembered Bruce had said I didn't have to check in or anything, to just go to his office.

I still knocked, and I heard a faint "come in" and I opened the door. Bruce looked up and smiled at me. I sat in the chair in front of his desk. He got off his computer and turned to me. "Ah, Raven, glad you made it. I was a little worried with all of the events that happened in Gotham last night."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Last night, Adam Bolte was killed and his warehouse blew up. A lot of people died," he said. My heart dropped. That building did not explode when I left. I didn't do that. Nothing I did could have caused that, could it? It was full of guns, I know that, but someone else had to have done something. "Innocent people," he remarked, only further driving guilt to me.

"That's impossible," I whispered, "how did his warehouse blow up?"

"That's what they're trying to figure out."

"Shit," I muttered. I couldn't have possibly been the cause of that. What if that guard who ran away did that? Jesus Christ. I can't be responsible for those innocent peoples deaths. I don't kill innocent people all the time. I wasn't even fucking there when it blew up so I don't know why I feel so guilty.

"It's nice to see that you're safe, though," he said. "But I guess we need to move on. I have a meeting with the board today and I was wondering if you could jot down some notes for me, because honestly, I don't want to."

"Of course," I said, and he nodded. We both stood up and I followed him out the door, and we got into an elevator. It was weird being in an elevator alone because we all know what happens. I mean, 50 Shades of Grey exists and Grey's Anatomy. It's not a coincidence they have the same color in both titles. I would never kiss Bruce Wayne though but I can't help where my mind drifts. It was an awkward silence as we went up like 50 floors. I was about to pass out because I was so tired. When the elevator finally stopped, I followed Bruce into a room with a giant table that was half filled.

"Glad you made it, Mr. Wayne," Lucius said, and Bruce motioned for me to sit down next to him. He handed me a small little notebook and a red pen.

"I wouldn't miss this exciting meeting for the world," Bruce commented. "This is my intern, Raven, and she's just going to be listening to the meeting."

They started talking about the most boring business stuff ever. Like, 'how can we make profits triple' and some shit like that. I tried writing down some notes but I felt my eyes get so heavy. I could barely keep them open. I wasn't even paying attention to the meeting, I was focusing on keeping my eyes open. What if I just shut my eyes for a second? That sounds like a good idea. I shut my eyes, and I opened them when I heard someone cough. People were leaving the room, and Bruce stretched beside me, before turning to me.

"Did you get notes?" he asked. I looked down at my paper and I saw I only had one sentence written and it was 'ugh this is boring'. Holy shit. Did I seriously close my eyes and sleep through the whole meeting? Oh my God, I'm going to get fired. I looked at Bruce, almost in panic mode.

"Y-yes," I said.

"Really? You only wrote one thing down and it was about how boring the meeting was, Raven." He didn't seem mad, he seemed a little confused. I'm probably the most confused over the both of us.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Wayne. I... I fell asleep," I confessed.

He sighed. "You should go to the break room and get some coffee. It's just down the hall; come to my office when you're done, alright? Don't feel bad. I fell asleep too. My employees are mad at me." I still felt bad about not doing my job right, but it was interesting to know he fell asleep too. I know I didn't fall asleep because that meeting was so boring. I fell asleep from how physically and emotionally exhausted I am. So, I wonder why he fell asleep.

I left the room and walked down the hallway, literally just following the smell of coffee. I stopped when I could hear Lucius and someone else talking behind a door. I could barely hear it, but it was legible enough.

"You think that your client, one of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the world, is secretly a vigilante who spends his nights beating criminals to a pulp with his bare hands; and your plan, is to blackmail this person? Good luck." I heard Lucius chuckle and angry feet shuffling and I hurried down the hallway to see that the door I was just standing by, flung open. A man looked at me with an angry look in his eyes, and then walked down the opposite end of the hallway. What was that about? Who was Lucius talking about? What the fuck was going on? Was he talking about Batman? They couldn't be. That description could literally match any mob boss, except not really. I was too tired to have my mind be exploded like this.

I went and got my coffee, and headed back down to Bruce's office, but I couldn't get my mind off Lucius Fox. He was talking about wealthy, powerful men who beat people up. Everything I've been hearing and seeing has led me to the conclusion that maybe Ra's is right. Whoever Lucius was talking about seemed dangerous. I need to find that guy that stormed angrily out. I think his name was Coleman Reese, but I could be wrong. I was also sorta happy I heard that because now I have a lead, or somewhere to start looking for clues.

When I got to Bruce's office and sat down in what is basically my chair now, he also had coffee and he yawned. I guess it was safe to say we were both pretty tired. "Hey, did you find the break room alright?" he asked.

"Yeah. It's nice in there. I was thinking you guys should get an office cat. Everyone seems pretty angry all the time," I said.

"What do you mean? Was someone mad at you or something?" he asked.

"I saw one of your employees fling a door open and act all pissy. I think his name was Coleman Reese or something. Not to be a snitch but, that's just what I saw."

Bruce's eyes narrowed. "Huh, interesting," he muttered. "Do you want to go out for lunch with me? You don't have to if you don't want to."

Oh shit. Lunch? I hope this isn't a date. I'm surprised he asked me that. I don't understand why he is acting so nice to me, especially after I fell asleep in a meeting and didn't do what he told me to do. He's fucking with me, just like Tiffany said. I'm not going to let him know that he fucks me up. If he wants to play that game, then I can too. I smirked. "Of course."

He raised his eyebrow at me and stood up. "Let's go then." I followed him out of the building and he led me to his black Lamborghini, which looked a lot like mine. It was such a beautiful car, I could drool from the sight of it. I felt nervous about driving somewhere with him. What if he was using this opportunity to kill me? Holy shit. My heart started racing but I was already sitting down in his car, and he was pulling out of the parking lot. Fuck. Stay calm, Raven. How could I be this stupid? I thought I was playing his game. This guy is too fucking smart. What if he knew I would go along with it and then try and kill me in his car?

"You look nervous," he said.

"No, I don't."

He laughed. "Alright then, but I can see it clearly on your face."

"I'm nervous we might wreck this car," I said.

"Oh, don't worry about it. This baby is reinforced. If we get hit, you'll most likely get whiplash. It won't be too serious." He smiled at me.

"You expect to have people crashing into you all the time?" I asked.

"No, not necessarily... Just in case. You never know when someone might try and Assassinate you, you know?"

I looked out the window to avoid him seeing any expression on my face. Holy shit. What if he knows I'm out to kill him? That would be really shitty. What if he kills me first? I looked back at him, and the way he drove. One hand on the steering wheel, concentrating on the road. He was attractive, and I think he looked good when he drove, but he doesn't seem out to kill me this time. I didn't even realize where we were at. We had drove out of Gotham, and into the country. Uh oh. Now, I'm freaking out. He's going to kill me. "Where are we going?" I asked, trying not to panic.

He laughed. "Calm down, Raven. I'm not going to kill you. For someone who has such nice cars, you sure are scared of getting in a wreck." I wasn't scared of getting in a wreck, you fuck tard. I'm scared of you taking me out to the woods and putting an axe through my head like Jason Voorhees. I need to calm down though. I can't panic. I know how to fight. I'm a fucking Martial Arts Master. He can kiss my ass because I'll straight up curb stomp his ass, and then he'll lose his nice as fuck teeth. Then he'll be ugly.

"Cool. So where are we going?" I asked again.

"My house, because I had my butler make some food for lunch. He doesn't know you'll be there, but he always makes way too much, so I need someone to help me," he said.

"Oh, so me eating your food is one of my duties as an intern?" I asked. I was trying not to flip out that he was bringing me to his fucking house. This bitch didn't even say mansion, what a prick. It's not called Wayne Manor because it's a house. I live in a fucking house. He lives in a mansion. At least his butler would be there, so he doesn't shank me in the back or something. I should text Tiffany but probably not. Who knows what Bruce Wayne is capable of? He'd probably read my texts from here.

He laughed. "Yup, I guess so."

"This isn't going to be an everyday thing, is it?" I hate feeling fear. I never feel this ever. Look at what Bruce Wayne is fucking doing to me! I feel like a worm, or some weak as fuck animal. I'm really scared and I hate this. I wish he would ease my mind in some way but he can't because he's the one I'm afraid of. There wasn't even any music on.

"No," he murmured. I could see his mansion now and my jaw dropped to the floor. What kind of person needs to live in that? He lives there with his butler. Two people. It's like a hotel. Who needs to have three hundred rooms for two people? I feel like I shouldn't be judging him on that because I do have way too many cars, but what the fuck ever. I love cars. He smiled at the expression on my face. "Never seen a house like this?" he asked.

"This is not a fucking house, that's for sure," I said. "And no; I haven't. I didn't grow up with this luxury."

He looked intrigued. "Really? Hm, for some reason, I just always thought you grew up privileged."

I laughed this time. "Quite the opposite."

He pulled into his driveway. "I'm going to ask more about that, if it's okay with you."

"I guess it's okay." Why did he want to know about my childhood? We both got out of his Lamborghini, and I could see a man with almost competely white hair standing in the doorway, waiting for us. When he saw me, he shuffled a little, but he didn't show any obvious signs that he was pissed. Bruce led me up to the door.

"Good afternoon, Master Wayne," the butler said.

"Thanks, Alfred. This is Raven, my intern," Bruce said. "We're just going to eat and leave."

"The food is in the kitchen, Master Wayne." Alfred had a very nice British accent. I followed Bruce into this big ass mansion where had stone flooring and decorations everywhere. I think we were going to the kitchen and I certainly wouldn't find it. We passed by a picture that really captured my interest. I knew it was Bruce and his parents as a child. If he was a criminal, maybe I'd understand it. Like Adam, how he only became one because his father was murdered. If Bruce wanted to kill everyone, it'd be understandable. Not justified; but understandable. I'd get it. My mood changed a little, seeing how happy he was in that picture. Now, I wanted to get in his head more than ever, but he was keen on getting into mine. I'd let him, but he won't know much. When we got to the kitchen, there was literally Kraft macaroni and cheese on the counter. I was expecting like veal filet mignon or some ridiculous shit like that. I laughed when I saw it though.

"Nothing beats this shit," Bruce said, pointing to the macaroni and cheese. I laughed, and was surprised. I don't think I've heard him swear yet, but I hate to admit, I liked this side of Bruce. I forced myself to not think about it because I'm going to eventually kill him.

"Damn right," I agreed. He got out two bowls and started scooping half in one bowl and half in the other. He put a spoon in both bowls and handed one to me, and then we sat at the little table in the kitchen and started eating. Bruce took out his phone and asked me if I wanted to play any music, but I declined.

"I'll just put a playlist on quietly then," he said. Guns N' Roses "Knockin On Heavens Door" came on and I couldn't help but laugh. "I'm gonna change it," he said. The Sound of Silence came on, and that is the most depressing song I've ever heard. "Jesus Christ, I'm just going to play a song I like because this random music isn't working for me," Bruce said and then he turned it to Wrecking Ball, and I couldn't believe he liked Miley Cyrus.

"You like Miley Cyrus?" I asked.

"Her music is kinda dope," he said and my eyes widened.

"Oh my God, you didn't just say that!"

"I totally did."

We both laughed really hard. "Oh my God," I said.

"What's wrong with Miley, anyway?" he asked.

"She twerked on like, a fourty year old man and then fingered herself with a foam finger," I responded.

"She didn't actually finger herself though."

"Might as well have," I said and we both laughed.

"So, you said you didn't grow up privileged? I just thought it was weird because I assumed you did. Did you have parents or, anybody? I'm sorry for asking, I'm just curious," he asked.

"It's fine. I did have both of my parents at one point, but my Dad disappeared when I was young and my Mom is dead now. We were extremely poor. Like, way too poor to even function. We were homeless a lot," I said.

"How did you escape poverty then? You have no work experience, and yet you're driving Audi's around? I don't get it, Raven," he said. Oh fuck. I should've lied to him and told him I was super rich growing up. God damnit.

"Um... I... wrote a book and I made a lot of money off of it," I said.

"Really? Wow! What book did you write?" he asked.

"I wrote several books actually. That's why I'm able to afford the things I have. I wrote the Harry Potter series, and that's why I have a lot of money."

His eyes widened. "You wrote Harry Potter?"

"Yes, I am the reason Harry Potter exists. I just thought of the idea one day, and here I am. Insane, right?" I almost wanted to laugh at myself.

"I've never read Harry Potter but those are pretty popular books," he said. "I mean, good for you. You probably made a lot of money from the movies, too, right?"

"Of course I did," I said.

"That's neat. Well, I mean..." He looked perplexed. "I'm going to change the subject then to something depressing. My parents died too."

"I know," I said, but then I realized it sounded bad for some reason. "I mean-"

"No, I get it. Almost everyone in Gotham knows. It really changes you, doesn't it? It's hard to function after losing people like that. Especially since they were murdered," he confessed.

"You're lucky that you can still function. There's a lot of people who lose sight of reality and lose control of who they are. There's so many people running around Gotham carrying a shit ton of pain on their shoulders, and they just... kill people. To somehow make up for their own deaths. It's confusing. You know how every one hates Kanye West because he acts arrogant and like a dickhead? Do you remember when he told Taylor Swift that her award actually should go to Beyonce?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Apparently, and I'm not one hundred percent certain on this, but his Mom died recently before that and he had been drinking to forget the pain," I said.

"Wow. I kinda didn't like Kanye West but you changed my view. Still, what he did was wrong and it gives him no right to act like an asshole," Bruce said.

I nodded. "It's easy for people like you to say that. I grew up in the ghetto basically. It's not... justifiable, it's understandable. The pain of losing someone you love is greater than morality, and that's the truth."

"I never lost mine, though," he commented.

"Don't lie to me. You lost it. You just found it again." Everyone loses their morality sometimes.

He smiled. "I guess you're right. I know this is going to be a weird question, but I'm just really, really curious. Don't take it the wrong way, but... have you ever fallen in love with someone, Raven?" His question stopped my train of thought. Why the fuck was he asking that? He said he was curious but why? I don't know if I wanted to answer that question. He told me not to take it the wrong way, so I probably shouldn't get all freaked out.

"Yes, I have," I said, quietly, "but he's gone now."

"Oh. I'm so sorry. I fell in love with someone, too. She's gone. It seems as if everytime I find a bit of happiness, the world comes crashing down on me, you know?"

I nodded. "I understand that completely. Maybe we should move out of the most dangerous city in the world, then. All there is here is crime and death."

"It seems that way, but there is love and compassion, even in the most evil criminals. This city is saveable. You can't have an attitude like that," he said, making my heart pound. I used to be loving and compassionate but I'm not sure anymore. I've lost too much and sacrificed everything, and look at me.

I shrugged. "This city is not saveable."

"It could be. If you can just bring that love and compassion out of the criminals, there can be real change," he noted.

"That would never happen," I said.

"We'll see," he smirked.


	5. Human

I'm gonna be honest.

I've never had Starbucks before. Ever. It's because I'm not a slave to societal standards. And making my own coffee was so fucking cheap, why would I bother with this corporate nonsense? I just hate it. I hate society, and I hate Starbucks. That's why I've never had it.

Yet, here I was, a scribbled order written on my hand because I didn't have paper at the time and a twenty dollar bill. "I want some coffee. If you get it for me, you can have some for free," is what Bruce said to me. He said he wanted Starbucks like the basic bitch he is and here I am, standing in line, surrounded by these absolute fucking nerds. I mean, ugh. There was a girl wearing non-prescription nerd glasses and uggs. The way she said 'pumpkin spice latte' made me wish I had my hidden blade on me. It seemed like this chick belonged in Portland or Seattle, not Gotham. There was a guy typing on his super expensive Apple laptop, and when he caught me looking at him, he looked me dead in the eyes and said "I'm a writer. Your staring interrupts my brilliance, creativity, and flow of thought. Fuck off." I've never been told 'fuck off' so calmly.

It was finally my turn to order and I was about to have an anxiety attack. Why were these people so judgmental? It seems like they think this overpriced creamer with a hint of coffee made them better people. They're mostly college kids too. They're broke as fuck and acting as if they're better than me because they splurged and bought a 'pumpkin spice latte'. I wish I could just fuck off right through the door but oh no, my boss needs his own 'pumpkin spice latte'.

"Hi, welcome to Starbucks. What can I get for you?" This girl with super curly dark brown hair, and almost black eyes gave me a good vibe though. She seemed nice. Why are barista's always so pretty and nice? I haven't been in too many coffee shops but every single one of them has been awesome. Her name tag read Nicole, but I saw it as "nice-ole."

"Uh, can I get two pumpkin spice lattes?" I asked.

"Sure, what size?" Nicole asked.

Shit, I forgot. I glanced down at my hand. "Grand," I said.

"Grande?" she asked once again, correcting me.

"Yup," I responded.

When I paid, I gave her the entire twenty dollar bill and let her keep the change. Bruce didn't need the money and I'm sure that girl did. Plus, he really mind fucks me so this is to spite him. When I got my drinks back, I tasted mine and I hated myself because I actually liked it. Fuck Starbucks for reeling me into their corporate bullshit. I liked the drink but I will never order from there again. As I was walking back to Wayne Enterprises, I stopped to think about my reality right now. I'm fucking Raven Black and I just fetched coffee for Bruce Wayne, my target. Jacob would be disappointed in me. He probably already was. My mentor didn't teach me anything, apparently. I just hate feeling like this. Criminals in Gotham are scared to death of me and here I am, acting like a ball sack. One kick and I'm on the floor.

I think I need to get drunk tonight at the bar. I haven't been there in a while and I'm losing myself. I'm losing my pride and dignity by doing basic shit like this. Spending time with some murderous psychopaths might do the trick for me. I kinda missed drinking with the Joker a little. He was fun when he was drunk.

I finally got back to Wayne Enterprises, and went up to Bruce's office. I gave him his coffee and sat down, sipping mine, hating every sip but I loved it so much.

"Thank you," Bruce said. "There wasn't any change?" he asked.

I glanced up at him. "Nope. Came out to an even twenty bucks."

"Christ, that's expensive," he commented.

"Right!" I exclaimed. "I don't know why you fetched me to get a 'pumpkin spice latte' when you have a coffee maker upstairs."

"Don't judge me," Bruce said and we both laughed. "I need my pumpkin spice every once in a while, too."

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes.

"What are your plans for tonight, Raven?" Bruce asked after a couple seconds of silence.

"I think I'm going to go Tiff's Bar," I said, mindlessly.

His eyes widened at me. "You're going to the most dangerous bar in the entire city?"

I wish I could just shut my fucking mouth for once. Honestly, how has he not figured out I'm a criminal yet? How much more obvious do I have to be? I could probably stab him in the back right now and he'd still ask me questions about it. "Yup," I said.

"There's criminals in there!" he exclaimed.

"Not all the time," I commented.

He gave me a 'are you fucking serious?' kind of look. I laughed a little. "Dude, why don't you go somewhere a little safer?"

Did he just call me 'dude'? He can't be calling me things like that, we're not friends. I mean, sure, we laughed at each others jokes sometimes but that doesn't automatically make someone your friend. I wish he didn't think I was his friend because I'm literally going to kill him soon. I just know he had a deep secret, I just know it. I really would just like to find out what it is without actually having to kill someone first. I want to find out his secret by being a detective, and then kill him. "Because I don't really party anywhere else," I said.

He rolled his eyes. "You are so mysterious. It's ridiculously hard to figure you out, you know that?" His silver eyes pierced into my fucking soul.

I'm mysterious?! I'm hard to figure out?! Give me a fucking break. Why does he care though? He's Bruce Wayne, the richest person in Gotham, the prince of Gotham, and yet he's sitting here trying to figure me out. I just stared at him, eyes wide. I couldn't believe it. And he was basically admitting to me that he was studying me, trying to figure me out. What if he was the one hunting me? After a while of silence, he turned his computer screen off and coughed.

"Why don't you go out to dinner with me tonight instead of Satan's lair?" he asked.

My heart almost leapt out of my chest. I don't know why it sped up, but it did. I felt my hands get a little sweaty and a heat flash go through my body. What was that? Stop it, Raven. Stop flipping out. Just stop it. He asked me to dinner. Fucking. Dinner. I can't go to dinner with Bruce Wayne. "What?" was the only thing I could say, or even think right now. He needs to stop fucking with my mind. He needs to stop.

"I said, do you want to go to dinner ... with me?" Why did his voice sound insecure? I don't think someone like him should be nervous around me. Wait. Maybe he should. After all, I am an Assassin. I do kill people. He should be nervous - but not like this. Not nervous for my approval. I shouldn't be nervous that he asked me out to dinner. Isn't that... a date? "It's not a date, just friendly dinner," he said, correcting himself. That made me feel a little better but I knew I couldn't fall into his trap.

"No," I murmured.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because," I responded. I didn't have a good enough answer for him.

"Because you're afraid to get close to someone?" he asked.

I narrowed my eyes. "What is that supposed to mean?" I growled.

"Well, you seem terrified of me and it doesn't seem like you have many friends. You are the most mysterious girl I have ever met. I'm trying to be your friend, to be close to you, and you're pushing me out by constantly lying to me and declining to go to dinner with me. I am not going to hurt you, Raven. Unless you hurt me," he said. My heart pounded again and I started feeling guilty for some reason. It's weird how a couple of weeks ago I would've never felt this emotion. Guilt. Or anxiety. I've never had a heat flash until now. "Why are you so afraid to get closed to someone? Is it because you're afraid of the way it makes you feel? Weak, right?" he asked. For some reason, I found myself nodding. How can he do this to me? It does make me feel weak.

"You think you're always supposed to be strong because that's how you've survived so far. You think that having nobody close to you is what makes you strong because you have nobody to worry about, nobody to care if they judge you, and nobody who knows who you really are. You want to be seen as tough and mean; but letting someone else in would ruin that, wouldn't it? Because for once, there would be someone who truly knows you. They would know you're actually broken and weak and that would ruin your reputation," Bruce said, not once breaking eye contact with me. My heart sunk and I found it hard to even talk. There was a lump in my throat, and I realized he was right. Why? Did he feel the same way I did? Does he see himself in me? It never occurred to me that Bruce and I could be the same. I've been too focused on trying to criminalize him, and yet I keep forgetting that he could be broken inside. It explains the way he acts so confident. Because if he didn't, people would know. They would know he's covering up how dead he is inside.

"How do you know that?" I asked, my voice low, and somehow still cracked. Ew. My voice cracked.

"That's the way I feel. And to be honest with you, I'm sick and tired of having no one. I'm sick and tired of wallowing in my own misery. Yeah, my parents died. Rachel died. But for the first time in months, you've made me truly laugh and feel what I think is a slight glimmer of happiness. You are ..." he stopped for a moment, "I hate to admit it, but you're saving me."

Oh God. Why did I feel so terrible? For the first time, I don't know if I can actually go through killing him or not. Why did my heart beat hard for him? Why did he make me feel nervous? I've never felt this way in my life. And yet, here we are. I'm feeling it. It killed me inside to hear him say that. This whole time I've only been trying to study him and find out what his secret is. The plan is to kill him. He said I was saving him. I don't usually do that. I kill people, I don't save them. I didn't know what to do. "You make me feel human," I confessed. My voice was barely above a whisper. It was true. He made me experience these weird emotions that I never did before, and I finally understood what he meant when he said he sometimes forgets I'm human. I forget that I am too. I am a human, and it's okay to act like one. Maybe I don't have to be Raven Black, Master Assassin, all of the time.

He smiled. "Do you want to go out to dinner with me tonight, Raven?" he asked again.

"Of course," I said, and I found myself smiling.

"I'll pick you up at 8, and we'll go to the Marion," he said, and I knew my work day was over. I left the building and went and sat in my Lamborghini, just staring at the wheel. My heart was still beating and I felt exhilarated, like I just had the best shower of my life. I noticed this was a good feeling. It felt like I had butterflies in my stomach and I was nervous to go to dinner with him, but I liked it. I liked it because even though I was anxious and felt guilty, I was excited. So, so excited. It's been a long time since I've felt excited.

It's been a long time since I've felt human.

I started my car and went back home. I decided not to tell Tiffany about this dinner thing because I know she wouldn't approve. She's my best friend, but we've been distant recently. I know I wouldn't like what she would say to me so I just decided against it and basically screamed at Galaxy.

"I'm going to fucking dinner! Woo!" I exclaimed at my cat. She was sitting on the counter but I didn't give a fuck. I was too happy to care about my naughty ass cat. I walked down the hallway to my room, but then I walked back to the kitchen and picked Galaxy up and set her on the floor. "You know you're not supposed to be on the counter, you fuck," I said with a huge grin on my face. I went back to my room and looked in my closet. The Marion was a five star restaurant and pretty formal. Didn't you have to make a reservation there? Oh wait, it's Bruce Wayne. I bet he can eat at any restaurant he fucking wants, whenever he wants. I wondered what color I should wear. Red, or black? What if I wore white? No, no, I can't wear white. Silly me.

I put Cherry Pepsi by Saint Pepsi on while I got ready. I couldn't possibly choose what I wanted to wear right now, so I just went and did my makeup and hair. I put black winged eyeliner on and smokey eye shadow, and maroon colored lipstick on. I curled my hair and I couldn't help but stare at myself in the mirror. I kinda looked hot. Wink wink. I smiled at myself in the mirror, and I had the odd urge to take a selfie. "Don't go overboard, Raven," I whispered to myself with a chuckle. I chose on a form fitting black dress with some lace on it, and then some black high heels. I felt dope as fuck. It was practically eight by the time I was ready, and after staring at myself in the mirror for a bit longer, I heard a car horn. I looked out my window and saw a black Lamborghini shimmering in the moonlight.

I almost broke my ankle by running down the stairs and twisting it, but I didn't care. It was fine, after all. I had to remind myself to be professional and calm down. Bruce got out of the car and opened the door for me. He was wearing a black tuxedo with a black tie, but he looked sharp and really handsome. His hair was slightly slicked back and his silver eyes almost glowed in the moonlight. When he got in the car and started driving, that's when the thought occurred to me:

"How did you know where I lived?" I asked.

"You put your address on your job application," he said, "but nice to see you too."

"Sorry," I said, "hi, Mr. Wayne."

He chuckled. "It's Bruce right now, Ms. Black."

"Oh, ew. Don't do that," I said, making a disgusted face.

He chuckled again. "See? It does sound kinda gross. So, call me Bruce. By the way, you look beautiful."

My cheeks got hot. Holy shit, I think I just blushed. "Oh, it's no biggie. I usually wear a shit ton of makeup and a hot dress." We both laughed and he rolled his eyes in a playful manner.

"It's a quiet night for Gotham," I commented. I didn't see anyone that I knew out as we drove down the street, passing by a bunch of fancy restaurant and stores. The lights were beautiful tonight. They were every night but I was really feeling them tonight. I just wanted to dance for some reason.

"Hopefully it stays that way for the rest of the night," he said. He pulled into a parking lot filled with expensive cars and I knew we were at the Marion. I didn't let him open the door for me this time. I wasn't a helpless baby, I could open doors myself. He just sighed, but we both walked into the restaurant together. I think he wanted to be a gentleman and open my door for me. It really wasn't a big deal. We stopped at the hostess. She had dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. She was looking down at something at the podium, so she didn't even notice when we walked up to her.

"Table for two," Bruce said.

"Do you have a reservation?" she asked, but then she looked up and her eyes widened. "Oh, excuse me, Mr. Wayne. Right this way," she said, and she led us into the dining room. I glanced at Bruce in disbelief, and all he did was playfully smirk at me. What an asshole. He could literally do whatever he wanted. It's insane. Nothing was really stopping me from doing whatever I want, either, though. We sat down at a table and laid down two menu's in front of us. I almost shrieked like a pterodactyl when I saw the prices. Some of these were over two hundred dollars. I know I'm rich and all, but I was poor at one point in my life. This shit is crazy. "Can I get you two any drinks to start off with?"

"I'd like a glass of your finest champagne," Bruce said. "Raven, do you want that too?" Thank God he helped me with that decision. I might have melted if I would've been asked that. I don't know what I'm doing. I usually don't go out to places like this, but I was with Bruce Wayne and I felt like I had to prove to this hostess, whose name tag read Heather, that I deserved to be sitting at a table with him. I feel like I don't; and that's where the problem is.

"Yes, I'd like that as well," I said, trying to sound fancy. Bruce laughed and Heather just stood there looking nervous.

"Alright, I'll be right back with that," she said. I felt relieved when she walked away because it almost felt like she was intruding on our personal space. I know it sounds ridiculous but it's fucking true, alright?

"Bruce, these prices are fucking insane," I said.

"I know, but I heard Gordon Ramsay is cooking tonight so it's worth it," he said.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" I said a little too loudly and then I looked around, noticing that rich people were staring at me, and then I lowered my voice to a whisper, "Gordon Ramsay is here? I love him."

Bruce smiled. He seemed really happy, and that made me feel good. I kinda like making people feel like that. "Yeah, I know right," he said. "I think I know what I'm getting."

"What? Because I might order whatever you're ordering," I said.

"Filet Mignon."

"Yeah, I'll get that too, then." We set our menu's to the side and Heather came back with our drinks and a bottle of champagne. We ordered our food and I knew we'd be waiting forever for that fucking piece of meat, so I just downed my first glass of champagne to make this dinner more interesting. Bruce laughed at it, and I think he was laughing at my table etiquette.

"You're too funny," he said, but then he basically chugged the champagne too. "Do we really need these glasses, or do you just want to share this bottle?"

"Bottle," I said. He took a drink out of the bottle, and I did the same. I looked around and noticed all these rich fucks were staring at us. One guy even twirled his fucking moustache. I couldn't believe it. All he needed was a monocle and he'd be the Monopoly Man.

"So, we should probably start having a conversation then, right?" Bruce asked.

"Yeah, we probably should." I didn't know what to talk about.

"You go first," he said.

"Unfair but whatever. What's your favorite color?" I asked.

He thought for a while. "Black. Sounds shady but it's true." I almost spit out my drink of champagne. He laughed too. He laughs at his own jokes. I don't know why but my mind was all like 'cute!'. I don't even know who I am anymore. My brain thinks it's cute that he laughs at his own jokes.

"Mine too. Your turn," I said.

"Why would you ever go to Tiff's Bar?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes. I'll give him a little version of the truth. He doesn't need to know everything but he can know a little. "Tiffany is my childhood friend. We grew up together so I hang out at her business."

"That makes sense. But there's just so many criminals there. How do you feel safe?" He took a drink of champagne.

I laughed. "I feel safest in that bar. Nobody is going to fuck with me and I know if someone shot the place up, I would be protected because everyone in there would probably kill whoever is shooting the place up."

"Wow. I never thought of it that way," he said. "So, have you talked to the Joker and Scarecrow before?"

"Yeah. I prefer not to, but it happens," I said.

"Have you talked to the Assassin before? No one really knows her name or has seen her," he said. "But I heard she hangs out there."

Oh shit. That's me. They call me the Assassin in the normal parts of Gotham? "No, I haven't. Why, what have you heard about her?" I asked, taking a drink of the champagne. I tried not to act weird. I didn't want him knowing who I really was.

"I heard she's ruthless and evil," he said and it felt like a knife to my heart.

"How do you know if she actually is?" I stuttered a little bit but I held my composure fairly well. That's what he thought of me? Ruthless and evil? He doesn't know I'm her, so I'm sure he doesn't think that of me, but it still was me he was talking about.

"She kills people left and right and doesn't feel guilty at all about it. They call her an Assassin but she doesn't act like one. She acts like a serial killer. I know it sounds weird, but they are completely different. The Assassin's are actually a respectable cause. I've already heard rumors that she is the reason that Adam Bolte's warehouse blew up and killed all of those people. How can she live with herself?" His eyes narrowed, and I tried so fucking hard not to react.

"How do you know she did that?" I asked.

"It's obvious. Adam Bolte is dead and there is not a trace of who killed him. Some of the bodies were poisoned, and they always are in her murders. She has skill, there is no doubt about it. And amazing strategy. It's too bad she doesn't put her amazing skills to good use. She wastes them on blowing buildings up and killing anyone she can for a little bit of money." I wanted to punch him, make him stop, walk out, but I wanted to hear his opinion on this so called Assassin. I hate to admit it but it hurt my feelings.

Heather walked up with our food and set it down. She told us to enjoy it, but I'm sure I wouldn't now. She walked away and left us in peace.

"Today, you told me you felt like nobody know who you truly are. You shouldn't judge this Assassin unless you know her," I commented.

He looked me dead in the eyes. "My opinion changes of her day to day."

I didn't want to even know what that meant, so I just ate my steak, which tasted really good by the way. I have never felt less hungry in my life though. Right now, I felt like an asshole. Was I actually ruthless and evil? Adam Bolte killed innocent people all the time, and Bruce was mad at me for killing him. Not me exactly, but I was the one who did it.

"Do you believe that someone as ruthless and evil as the Assassin can be kind and compassionate?" I asked, basically just playing with my food at this point.

Bruce's gaze softened. "Yes; she just needs to find it within herself. I think she's lost touch of who she is. She was once a great Assassin, and then it's like ... it's like something broke. She used to kill truly evil people, and she didn't expect money from it. Now, she only kills for money and doesn't care who she kills. I wish I could truly talk to her, know her story, know where she went wrong."

"You know a lot about her," I whispered.

"She's famous," he said, and there was a couple seconds of silence. I looked over one of the flat-screen TV's on the wall and saw a Breaking News report. Somebody yelled to turn the TV up, and I could hear the TV now.

"... Over a hundred innocent people hostage ... Being held at gunpoint by Steven Anderson and his gang ... at the docks ... wants ransom money ..." That was all I could hear the news reporter saying. Some people in the restaurant gasped, and something flicked in my head. It was like a light switch. I felt like I had to be an Assassin. A real one. I couldn't be my persona Raven Black.

I stood up and looked at Bruce, who also seemed getting ready to leave.

"I have to go," we both said at the same time.


	6. Revelations

"Wait, why are you leaving?" Bruce asked me as we walked out the door. I could ask him the same thing. I had to think of something off the top of my head and now. All I wanted to do was get my uniform on and help those people. My heart just pounded and I knew I had to save these people and I had to do it now.

"It's too dangerous and I'm scared!" I exclaimed, and his eyes widened.

"Calm down, Raven," he said, "I'll get you home. I'm scared too; that's why I'm leaving. Just come on." We ran to his car, and I saw a couple of helicopters go overhead, and there were police sirens just infiltrating my fucking ears. I wish everyone could be quiet at a time like this. Steven is not just going to let those people go because of a helicopter and a couple of police. It takes an Assassin to do this shit. I'm the closest thing they got. I got in Bruce's Lamborghini and I just stared out the window, praying he would drive faster. He was already speeding. I looked over and he had the same frantic look on his face. He must really be scared.

We finally made it to my house and I practically jumped out of the car. I didn't say anything to him. I just ran up the steps to my house. My key wouldn't fucking go in the first couple of times, and I was getting pissed off. Bruce had already driven away by the time I unlocked it, and I ran into my house and down the hallway. I made it to my room and took my uniform off hanger, and put it on as quickly as I could. I went out my window and climbed up to the roof of my house. I went to the edge of the roof, and then started my running jump. I ran as fast as I could across my roof, and then when I hit the edge, I jumped as high as my leg muscles would allow me. I sent the electricity through my cape, and started flying.

He was at the docks. He obviously was holding boats hostage. I could see the docks from where I was in the sky right now, and I could see helicopters just surrounding the area, but doing nothing. They didn't want to harm any of the hostages. I rolled my eyes, but I understood it. There were people suffering in those boats, a few dead doesn't really matter compared to the outcome. I felt guilt rush through my body after I thought that. My mentor would be so disappointed in me for thinking that way, although he knew it was the truth. People die all the time and there will always be the ones you can't save. Sometimes, even civilians are brave enough to make the ultimate sacrifice. One person will choose to die if it means the others are safe. It's respectable, but it never works. Villains like Steven do not play like that.

I landed on a skyscraper directly next to the docks, and knelt down to get better angles. Through the windows of some boats, I could see people. One of the windows had "help" written in blood. A shiver went down my spine at the sight. I needed to find Steven. I didn't even need Eagle Vision to find him. It wasn't hard to guess where he was. I think he was in the boat with all of the helicopters circling around it. I smirked to myself at how easy this one is.

I was worried that if I tried to get in, the helicopters would shoot at me and that would be the end of my mission. I needed to find another way in. If I can't get in from above, or the side... I can get in from below. I'll have to use my saw to get into the engine room. Perfect. I jumped off the building and sent electricity through my cape. I flew around the spotlights and headed to the water. I dived straight in, and I regretted it because the water was so fucking cold. I almost went into shock. My mind was focused though. I came up for air, took a deep breath, and then went under again. It took me about five minutes to swim to the boat. I had to keep coming up for air every minute, but I needed to swim underwater. My muscles were frozen and it was hard to move; but I forced myself to keep going.

I made it to the boat. Spotlights were circling it so I needed to brace myself. I would probably be holding my breath for a long time if I didn't work fast. I took the deepest breath I could, and went under again, letting the freezing cold water envelope me. It was easy to see underwater for me, and at night. One of the many special gifts Assassin's have. I took my mini saw from my belt, and started cutting a hole begin enough to fit my body in. Underneath the boat, the wood was thick and had many layers. My mini saw wasn't meant for jobs like this, but it'll have to do. My lungs burned, and it was getting increasingly hard to concentrate on cutting through the wood.

I needed air but I couldn't go back up since I could see the spotlights on the water right above me. Come on, Raven. Keep pushing. You can do this. I pushed harder against the wood. I knew I was almost in. Keep going. Keep going. I had to keep repeating myself. My lungs have never hurt this bad and I was about to start screaming. Black spots dotted my vision. I can't drown. That would be such a pussy way for me to die. Raven Black dies from drowning. Fuck that. An extra wave of motivation went through my body, and right as I was about to take a breathe of water, my saw broke through. I cut the rest out and climbed in, falling on the floor and heaving for breathe. Water was getting in and I was laying in a layer of water on the ground, clutching my chest and breathing hard, coughing. The hole wouldn't sink the ship, but I could potentially drown again if I don't get up. I let out one last fit of coughing and forced myself to stand up. I was so cold but it was warm in here. Nobody was in the engine room. Steven must've taken these employees hostage.

I flexed my muscles and squeezed my fingers together, trying to get my frozen muscles to heat up. I saw the stairs that would lead to the main room of the ship. I don't think there was an Assassin way to do this mission. I might have to go in there, sword flailing. I braced myself, walked up the stairs, and opened the door, but I hid beside the wall, so you couldn't see anybody there when the door opened.

"What the hell?" I heard a man say, and I knew it was Steven. "Dylan, go and check that out." I heard footsteps coming towards the door, and when I saw Dylan enter the room, I grabbed him from behind and stuck my hidden blade through his back. His body dropped down the stairs and landed in the pool of water below. I heard people scream from the other room. It must be hostages. I heard children crying, and my heart ached. I hate kids but it hurts to know they're here.

"Son of a bitch! It's Raven!" I heard Steven yell, and I decided it was time to come out of hiding. I took my sword out, and jumped into the room. Everything went slow motion so I could assess what's going on. There were hostages crying behind Steven, and he was standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by his guards. Before I could even react, Steven held up a gun and it fired. I felt an intense, seething pain in my leg. I fell to my knees and clutched my leg. Steven laughed and walked up to me, grabbing my chin and making me look up at him.

"How's your no gun rule going for you now?" he laughed. "Pathetic and weak. But I guess we always knew that." He held a gun straight to my face, his hand on the trigger. The pain in my thigh was intense and it kept intensifying. Well, here we go. I'm going to fucking die. This is how I die, trying to save people that mean nothing to me. My heart beat hard and I couldn't even say anything. Steven's green beady eyes stared down at me, and that's when it happened.

In a blink of an eye, Steven was on the floor and every single one of his henchman dropped their guns to the floor. They reacted in a way they only knew how to, they ran towards the black shadowy figure and tried to fight him. It was Batman and he was fighting hard, but he was outnumbered. Steven was still on the ground. I grabbed my sword and got up, feeling that scorching pain in my leg. There was a guard attached to Batman's back, trying to pull him to the ground. I slashed my sword at the guard's back, and he fell off Batman. Then it was me and Batman, standing back to back, as a circle of guards surrounded us. I gripped my sword tightly and swung into battle. A guard had a sword, and he clashed with me, but he was clearly inexperienced and didn't know how to use it. I wrapped my hand around the blade of his sword and yanked it out of his hands, feeling my hand get cut and it stung too, but this was something I could handle easily. I stabbed him right in the heart. I felt a sharp sting on my stomach and turned around to see another guard with a sword. These guys were prepared.

I jumped and slashed at his throat mid-air, and he fell to the ground. As I came back down from my jump, I felt a heavy force knock into me and my sword slipped out of my hands. I fell onto my side and hit the ground hard. I didn't feel like a trained Martial Arts Master right now. I felt so weak and powerless. I turned on my back to see Steven looking down at me, a knife in his hand. I saw his arm prepare to stab me in the heart. I blocked him with my hidden blade and rolled over. His knife just stabbed into the wood. I quickly jumped up, but he had pulled his knife free and slashed at me, but he missed.

"You think you can save these people?!" he snarled. "You think that someone as evil and fucking terrible as you can end me like this?! Admit it, Raven, you're not a fucking Assassin! You're a villain!" he screamed and slashed at me again. I jumped to the side and he missed again, but I grabbed his arm as he swung and snapped it. He let out a screech of pain and I kicked his leg, snapping his calf bone. He screamed in literal agony this time, and dropped to his knees. I grabbed his hair and made him look up at me. His clenched his teeth. "You evil fucking bitch," he said through gritted teeth.

"Finally, someone who gets me," I said and his eyes widened. I shoved my hidden bleed deep into his throat, hearing his gargled scream through blood, and then his memories washed over me.

I was standing in a fancy room, and there was a desk in front of me. The floor was marbled, but it was not like Bruce's mansion. A man sat at the other end of the desk. His hair was jet black and he had the same green eyes as Steven. He had an angry look on his face. "You are not my son," he said, and then the memories changed. Steven was running down the street, carrying a bag, while the sound of police sirens and alarms faded behind him. Then it changed to him standing over the dead man's body that he was talking to earlier, and I knew it was his father. Steven was holding a knife, and his body was shaking with adrenaline. "Fuck you," Steven whispered, and the memories changed to Steven walking past a homeless man in an alley. He turned around and stabbed the homeless man in the throat, then walked away as if nothing happened. The memories changed to Steven walking up to the bridge, holding a dog. He laughed and then through the dog over the bridge, sending it to fall a hundred feet down. That was the last memory I saw before I went to the white room to speak to him a final time.

What an evil and malicious human being. He grew up rich and disappointed his father by robbing a bank. Instead of changing, he killed his father cold blooded. Then he just started killing people left and right, even animals. That poor, innocent dog. I felt terrible, and so glad he was dead. This was not like killing Adam at all.

"You realize that one day, you will pay for the things you've done?" Steven said, his voice still angry. He just layed on the white floor, his throat all bloodied, and one of the most evil stares I've ever encountered.

"My time will come eventually," I said, kneeling down beside him.

"You are not better than any of us, Raven," he snarled. "You're a filthy little bitch who acts as if she's so much better than everyone else because she was once good. You're not anymore. Time to get off your fucking high horse."

"You're not much better," I commented.

"At least I admit it. I'm a criminal and I am evil. I kill people because I love the way it feels. I love the power and the rush of it. You kill for money. That's all that matters to you. You may have saved these people, but one good thing doesn't outweigh the bad. I sent you to kill Adam as a test and you proved me right. You are despicable and vile. You do not deserve to wear that uniform," he said.

"I'm not going to be told off by a cold blooded killer," I murmured. "Adam may have had a hard life but he's also killed innocent people."

"That's always your excuse." Steven laughed and for some reason, that comment was the one that hit me. Because it was right. I stood up and watched as Steven went limp. His eyes shut by themselves, and I glared down at him. At least I've never killed a fucking dog. An animal is the epitome of innocence. To kill an animal for no reason means you are evil. I would never kill an animal, even if it was attacking me.

My vision flashed before me and I was back on the ship. Bodies littered the floor around me. Some of them were still moving and those were the ones Batman took out. Still alive, yet unconscious. Batman was gone already and these crying hostages just looked at me. I had nothing to say. I saw the hole in the ceiling that Batman came through, and I climbed out of it. Suddenly, I was in a wave of light and I knew the helicopter spotlight was on me. I ran and jumped, trying my best not to get shot, and flew out of the spotlight, right as I heard gunfire. I flew onto a nearby building and just collapsed.

My leg hurt so fucking bad. My hand hurt, and so did my stomach. I knew I was bleeding hard, and after everything, this was most likely the way I'd die. I heaved for breath as the pain shot through my body. I needed to get up but I couldn't. I needed to save myself. But for the first time, I didn't want to.

Why don't I just lay here and die?

Steven was right. Bruce was right. I was evil and ruthless. I killed for money and money alone because I am greedy and selfish. Batman was the epitome of what a hero was. He gave those guards a second chance down there, and I didn't. He gives evil people second chances. He doesn't do this for money, or fame. Or power... He's a hero. The Dark Knight. I don't deserve to live.

I don't deserve to live.

I don't. I don't. I'm a terrible fucking person who has wasted my abilities on selfishness, and I have killed innocent people before just for the money. I always use the excuse that they are also bad people but they're not. Adam did not deserve to die. He deserved a second chance. I killed him for money.

This world doesn't need me at all. I am nothing. I am nobody. I am a waste of a human. I am a waste of an Assassin. If I die, Batman can save the city. He can, and I know he will.

Blood was flowing out of my body and I could see the stars glittering above me. That was a sign. The night is beautiful; and that is a good thing. If I die, it's a good thing. I'll be doing the world a favor. Finally, I will have done something good for once in my life. I stopped clenching my body. I felt relaxation pulse through me and the pain ebbed a little as relief flowed through me. I was going to die, and this was it. I swear I could see Jacob's face in the clouds, beckoning me to join him. I smiled because I was going to. But I don't think I'd make it into the stars with him after everything I've done. My mentor was pure, and good. I am not. If God is real, I'll go and rot in Hell with Adam like I promised. My karma will have come then and I deserve it.

I could feel death overwhelming my body. It was such a peaceful feeling. The pain was entirely gone now, and my vision was turning black. Here I go. Goodbye world. I felt myself start to black out and lose consciousness. I couldn't even control my body anymore. My head started turning to the side, and my eyes were closing.

The last thing I saw was him, cape flowing in the breeze.

Then everything went black.


	7. Welcome to Your Life

There was a pounding in my head when I woke up. My whole body was sore and my leg felt like it was on fire when I moved. I couldn't see anything because it was black as fuck in my room. I felt something furry touch my arm, and I knew it was Galaxy. Wow, she was actually cuddling with me. That was really odd. Usually this cat hates me. What time was it? I looked over at my alarm clock and saw it was eleven in the morning, and I groaned. Shit. I was late for "work." There goes my mission and number one way to infiltrate Wayne Enterprises. Why did my body hurt so bad?

I got up, but fell immediately on the floor and cried out in pain. I could barely walk. Ugh, son of a bitch. What is going on? What did I do this time? Now, I was angry at myself and I forced myself to get up and stand on my leg. Pain just shot through my body, but I managed to walk over and turn my light on. Oh great! Now my eyes are fucking burning and I'm flipping out in the middle of my room. After my eyes adjusted, I saw that there was a note on my bed stand.

I made my way over there, holding on to the wall for support and read it:

Raven,

When you wake up, please call me.

\- Tiffany

I'm going to call her later. I need to take a shower. My body felt dirty and disgusting. My hair was greasy. I grabbed a pair of black leggings and a white tank top to wear for when I got out. I walked down my hallway but barely made it into my bathroom. The wall caught my fall several times. I undressed myself and when I looked at my body, I gasped out loud. What the fuck happened to me?! My stomach had a huge cut across it and stitches. My hand was also the same. My leg was wrapped in bandages, and when I took them off, I knew I had gotten shot in my leg. It was healing; but still disgusting. Did Tiffany bandage me up? She never has. These were my first aid supplies too. Tiffany doesn't know how to do stitches.

I got in the shower and the water stung my cuts, but I was already in an intense amount of pain. I can't remember what happened to me. I concentrated super hard on the last thing I could remember. It was being at the Marion with Bruce. And then... I remember we left suddenly. He took me home suddenly. Why? What happened to our dinner? I got shot and I've been cut badly.

I simply couldn't remember. Tiffany was going to have to remind me. After I was finished washing my hair and carefully washing my body, I got out. I could barely dry myself off because the towel kept touching my wounds. I realized there was no way I was going to be able to wear those leggings, so I went back in my room and changed into shorts. I had to re-bandage my leg, so I went in my kitchen and grabbed the supplies out of the cupboard, and then sat down on my couch and got to work on it.

As I was bandaging myself, Tiffany walked in and she looked at me angrily. "What the fuck?! I told you to call me when you woke up!" she exclaimed, sitting down on the couch next to me. Her blonde hair was in a messy bun and she had bags under her brown eyes. She looked exhausted.

"You didn't tell me anything. You wrote me a note," I said, and she glanced at me and gave me a look that told me to not start with her. I sighed, and finished bandaging my leg. "I'm sorry, dude. I was going to call you when I was done bandaging my leg."

"Whatever," she said, rubbing her eyes.

"So, do you know how I got shot? I don't remember anything," I said, leaning back on my couch.

"Surprise," she muttered. "I guess you don't remember your attempted suicide either, right?"

"What?!"

"Yup, Raven. It truly was remarkable and an interesting night for me. You see, apparently you had gone out to dinner with Bruce Wayne and you did not tell me about it. Your best friend. While you were there, you saw that Steven Anderson had taken hostages. You and Bruce left he dropped you off here, where you promptly fucking left and went to the docks, where Steven was. You almost drowned yourself trying to get in a boat, and then when you got in, Steven shot you in the leg. He was about to shoot you in the head before Batman showed up and saved your life. You started fighting Steven's henchmen, and that's where you got cut. You killed Steven, and then you went and laid down on a building. You just laid there. I'm not fucking stupid, Raven. You could've easily gotten up and saved yourself but you didn't.

"Want to know who saved you? That's right. Batman. Bat. Fucking. Man. He carried your body to me! He walked straight into my bar and asked for my help! It was truly crazy! I was worried sick! You were almost dead, you had gone unconscious from loss of blood. I had to lead Batman to your house, and he stitched you up and even gave you a blood transfusion. He asked me to take care of you while you healed and I did.

"If you're going to get mad at me for showing him where you lived, then go ahead. We couldn't take you to a hospital or you would've gotten arrested. He saved your life, Raven," Tiffany said and I just stared at the ceiling.

I couldn't believe it. Now that she had reminded me of what happened, I remembered. I was going to let myself die on that building. That feeling I had on that building came back to me. It felt like a rock in my heart and I wanted to sob into my hands. I wish they wouldn't have saved me. I couldn't even cry though. Batman saved me. He's been in my house. He gave me a second chance, didn't he? But why wouldn't he just take me to the hospital? Why was he worried about me getting arrested? Batman's second chances are the type where you go to jail and think your life over. But here I am, sitting on my couch, free of prosecution. For now.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" Tiffany asked, eyes wide. I felt bad for making her worry.

"Nothing," I whispered.

She shook her head. "I called Bruce Wayne and I gave him some bullshit story that you had been robbed in an alley that night, and he's very worried, but you still have your job. Or whatever. I don't know what it is to you."

"Thank you," I said. "I mean it. Thank you. I don't deserve to have someone like you."

She shook her head. "I think you need to quit being Raven Black. She's draining you. We both know that's not who you really are. You're Raina Knight, and it's about time you start acting like it."

My heart sunk. Damn, my heart was probably in my feet by now. "I can't just -" She cut me off.

"Yes you can! You can fucking stop! You have enough money to last you an entire lifetime, maybe even beyond that! You've done your duty! God damn it, Raina, it's fucking killing you! You are literally dying inside and out..." She sighed. "If you're going to keep doing this... I'm not going to stick around and watch you destroy yourself." She walked up and left, slamming my door on the way out, and leaving me all alone with my thoughts.

She wants me to retire at 23. I can retire, I have enough money, but it's not about the money. At least, not anymore. I'm sick of being known as a villain and evil and ruthless. I feel fucking terrible. I know my real name is Raina Knight but everyone literally knows me as Raven Black. As much as Tiffany wants to say that's not who I am, I am Raven. I'm not playing a character. Raven is just a fake name, a name that people can blame. I didn't know what to do. I don't want to lose my best friend, but ... Raven cannot be my legacy. I know Tiffany was right in some ways, though. If I keep it up, I'll die. No doubt about it.

And what about Bruce? There is still that pondering question. What if Ra's was right? What if Bruce is planning to destroy the fucking city and I retired? I accepted the mission to save the city, but I'm conflicted. Bruce does not seem like that type of guy at all. In fact, he seems to be more about kindness and compassion that anything else. I don't know why, but I feel as if I can trust him. That's rare for me.

I need to tell Bruce the truth, and I needed to do it now.

I grabbed a pair of keys and got in my most casual car I have, my 2014 Black Dodge Charger. I didn't feel like driving any other car right now. My body hurt a lot but I simply didn't care. I pushed through it and drove to Wayne Enterprises and I stumbled in wearing my black shorts and a white tank top. My hair was in a ponytail and I looked ridiculous, but I didn't care. I walked right up to his office and opened the door, but to my astonishment, he wasn't there. Shit. I walked back to Beth, who was the receptionist.

"Where's Bruce?" I asked.

"He called in sick today," she said. I didn't waste any time and went back to my car. I guess I'd just have to go to his house then. Oh wait. He lives in a mansion, not a house. I started driving the route we drove before. It was surprisingly easy to remember. The trees were turning red, yellow and orange. It really was a beautiful drive, but my mind was too focused on just getting there. I saw that extravagant mansion in the distance, and when I got there, I pulled into the driveway.

I stumbled my way up to the door and rang the doorbell. I think I waited a minute before Alfred opened the door. When he saw me, his eyes widened and he looked surprised. "I need to talk to Bruce," I said.

"I'm sorry, Raven, but Bruce cannot speak to you right -" Alfred said but he was cut off when Bruce walked out the door and stood right in front of me. Holy shit. He was only wearing basketball shorts and nothing else. He was ripped. Like, really jacked. He had a six pack and everything. I never realized how hot he truly was until now. He smiled down at me.

"I'm glad to see you're doing better," he murmured. His silver eyes had a yellow tint in the sunlight as he looked down at me.

I nodded. "I need to talk to you," I repeated.

I guess he could sense it was serious and important. Well, it was important to me. He nodded to Alfred, which I think was a dismissal, and Alfred walked away. Bruce walked to a bench on the lawn that overlooked the forest, and I tried to keep up with him, but I ended up falling and he caught me. He helped me stand up, and then held onto me until we made it to the bench. He sat down really close to me. The sides of our legs were touching. "Is it serious?" he asked once we were all settled.

"Yes," I said, and then it was silent as I tried to be brave. He was going to fire me but at least I would have a good conscious if he did, because I finally would've told the truth. "Bruce... I..." I didn't even know where to begin. I turned and looked him in the eyes. He had a concerned look on his face, like he was worried about me or something. I wanted to puke because he'll find out he should've been the one worried when I tell him the truth. "You said I was ruthless and evil. You were right," I said.

"I didn't say that about you," he responded but his facial expression did not change.

"But... you did. Because... the truth is, I am the Assassin. I am her. I am the one who kills people for money and I am the one who used to be a great Assassin but I'm not anymore. I'm not great, I'm not even good. I'm evil and ruthless, like you and Steven said." I wasn't even thinking my words out anymore, I was just basically pouring my heart out. He was about to say something but he cut me off. I couldn't even read his expression right now. It was like a mixture of disbelief and ... relief, which makes no sense. "The reason I have all my nice cars is because I killed people. For money. I lied to you about writing Harry Potter. I'm not a writer. I'm a killer."

He glanced at the sky and back down at me, letting out a sigh. "What happened to you?" he asked. His voice was barely above a whisper.

"A couple years ago, when I was twenty years old, I fell in love with my mentor. Jacob Laine. I loved him so much that it hurt. I would've done anything for him. And he loved me. He saw my potential when I was younger. He saw that I had it in me to become a great Assassin someday. He thought I was intelligent, and the first time I ever heard that was from him. I thought he was the guy I was going to marry someday, settle down... have a family. I remember I had a good heart and I had the right ideas. I killed truly evil people and I didn't care about the money. I went out of my way to save people. I did it for the Assassin's, the Creed... for Jacob. The Brotherhood was the only family I ever had. They gave me a second chance at life.

"One day, Jacob and I were sent on a mission together. We had to investigate Arkham Asylum, because someone was letting the patients out and they were getting onto the streets and killing people. I found out who it was first, and by the time Jacob did, Damian Stryker had a gun pointed at my head. It was terrible. It was the worst betrayal I have ever felt because Damian was an Assassin. He was an avid member of the Brotherhood. We all thought he upheld the standards and the tenants of the Creed like no one else. And there he was, pointing a gun at my head.

"It all happened in a flash of a second. I saw it all in slow motion. Damian was flexing his finger muscles, which meant he was about to pull the trigger. Jacob saw that... and then he jumped in front of me. He took a bullet to the heart. Jacob dropped to the ground, and Damian had disappeared through a window. My whole life, I thought I knew what true pain felt like. I was so wrong. I experienced some surreal pain when Jacob got shot. I screamed, and the last thing he said to me was 'I love you'.

"It was like my world around me shattered. The love of my life was gone, and I was alone. When I went back to the Brotherhood to tell them what happened, I demanded that they let me go and hunt down Damian. To kill him. But they wouldn't let me. They refused to. It seemed like to me they didn't respect Jacob's life, or even mine. Jacob was a fucking Assassin in their Creed and they wouldn't let me avenge him. They wouldn't even tell me why I couldn't do it. That's when I broke completely. Instead, I started killing people for money and didn't care about what they've done. Eventually, I got kicked out of the Creed. I'm not even a real Assassin anymore, Bruce.

"That same day, I lost some of my abilities as an Assassin. I couldn't use my Eagle Vision anymore and I never realized how useful that vision was until I lost it. I bet you if I had it, I wouldn't have gotten so hurt when I went to go and kill Steven Anderson. But I don't have it anymore. I don't have anything anymore," I said.

It was silent for at least a minute before Bruce finally said something. "I'm so sorry," he said.

"My name isn't even Raven. It's Raina Knight," I added.

He looked at me. "I see. I guess I should tell you the truth. I always knew you were the Assassin. I hired you so I could study you and find out who you really were. I didn't expect to actually like you or get attached. Or care about you. Because I used to think you were ruthless and evil. But what you did on the night Steven Anderson died... Raina, you are not ruthless or evil. You are selfless, and you are one of the bravest people I've ever met. You risked your life for those people, and you did it without hesitation. Without a second thought. The moment you saw what happened on the TV, you knew you had to leave. That's not evil, selfish, or ruthless at all. You deserve a second chance."

"I don't know what to do. Tiffany wants me to quit altogether, but I don't want Raven Black to my legacy. Jacob wouldn't want it," I said.

"Is there anyway you can rejoin the Assassin's?" Bruce asked.

"I don't know. I'd have to prove myself worthy."

"Would you even want to?" he asked.

"Yes, I would. I think they didn't want me to pursue Damian because I would've destroyed myself in the process," I said.

"Maybe... stop being Raven and start being Raina, the Assassin. Not Raven the criminal. Start doing good. I'm sure you could get back in. I just have one more question, why did you apply for a job?" Bruce could probably already sense why I applied for a job. I might as well tell him the truth.

"I was hired to kill you, but it's not like... it's not for the money. It's a high amount, yes, but I was told that you were building a deadly weapon to destroy the city, and maybe the world. It seemed weird to me so I decided to make sure that's what you were doing before I killed you," I confessed.

A genuine look of shock came across his face. "What?!"

"Yeah," I said.

"I can assure you I am not fucking doing that," he snarled. "Who told you that?"

"Ra's al Ghul."


	8. Hells Bells

My number one priority changed from hunting down Bruce Wayne to redeeming myself. Saving people. Ugh. How was I even going to do that? As I sat on my couch and watched Grey's Anatomy, I kept thinking of things I could do to redeem myself. I hadn't had a breakthrough yet. Maybe it was because I was high. I took another hit, and laughed a little at how fucking weird the past couple of weeks have been. The only thing I hate about getting high is that I forget what I'm thinking about. Actually... that's probably one of my favorite parts. I heard my door open and saw Tiffany walk in. She looked a little better today than she did yesterday. She sat down right next to me and I passed the bowl to her.

"Is this how you're going to spend your days from now on?" she stuttered in between coughs.

"Yeah... No... Maybe... I don't know." I laughed.

She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Your eyes are really red, dude."

I gasped. "How am I going to go to school like this?!" We both laughed at that, remembering the good old days when me and Tiffany would smoke weed at lunch and get completely blazed, and then freak out about going back to school because... what if a teacher knew we were high? Looking back, I'm pretty sure every single teacher knew I was high but didn't say anything. All the teachers smoked weed anyway.

"So, what's your plan?" Tiffany asked.

I sighed. I couldn't really talk about anything serious right now, but I'll give it a try. "You're not gonna like it," I said. She narrowed her eyes.

"Just tell me, dude," she said.

"Okay. I'm really high right now so just bear with me. Is it bear or bare? Like b-e-a-r or b-a-r-e? Like -" Tiffany cut me off.

"Oh my God, just tell me!" she laughed.

"Okay. This time I'm really going to tell you. Right now. Right here, right now, at this exact very moment at this exact very place. I'm going to do it. Are you ready?" I asked.

"Yes," Tiffany said with a giggle. Her eyes were getting pretty red too.

"Dude... I forgot what we were talking about," I confessed.

Her eyes widened. We both turned out heads and looked at the TV and sat in silence for what seemed like forever, but it was actually only a minute. "Oh!" Tiffany exclaimed. "We were talking about your future plans about being Raven."

"Oh shit, that's right!" I exclaimed. "Haha!"

"Haha!" Tiffany and I both laughed pretty hard in unison.

"Okay but for real though. So, what happened yesterday is I went and told Bruce the truth. Like, I told him everything. I told him my past and how I got kicked out of the Assassin's, and I even told him how I was sent to kill him," I said.

"Whoa. What did he say?" she asked.

"He didn't ... he didn't like, care that much. I think he trusts me, dude. I don't know. He was pretty mad when I told him Ra's al Ghul sent me to kill him, though. He said he's not building weapons and I believe him. But, anyway, I know you said if I kept on doing what I'm doing that you're going to leave me. I really hope you don't because I'm not going to stop being Raven. I'm going to try and get back into the Brotherhood, Tiffany. I'm going to redeem myself and Raven Black's name. I just don't know where to start," I said.

She sighed, but a smile was plastered on her face and I knew it was only there because she was high. "This is ridiculous," she said, laughing. "I mean, ten years ago, we imagined our lives so differently. Remember when we would sit on top of Wal-Mart, our legs dangling over the edge, talking about how maybe, just maybe, someday we'll be happier? We'll be comfy and cozy everyday, never have to deal with crime, and just be happy. Now look at us. I started a business that only criminals come to, and you started killing people but apparently you killed them in the wrong way so you got kicked out of the Assassin's and now you're trying to figure out how to kill people in the right way. Like, what the fuck is our life?"

I laughed. "Right."

"I just don't want you to die," she whispered.

I didn't even know what to say to that. "But if I died, would it really be that bad? Just think about it. I'm a notorious villain, a criminal, a killer, you name it, that's what I am. If someone as evil as me tried to change into someone good and died in the process, would it really be that bad?"

Tiffany glared at me. "Stop fucking thinking like that. There are people who care about you. Even if it may only be two people, that's a hell of a lot more than some people have. If you died, Raina, I would be devastated. You are my best friend. You've been my best friend for 14 years now."

"I know that," I said.

She sighed. She's been doing that a lot lately. "So, you want to redeem yourself but you don't know how."

"Yup."

"I think I have an idea... but you're not going to like it." Tiffany smiled.

"I'm really down for anything at this point," I said.

"I think you should try and team up with Batman," she said.

She said I wasn't going to like that idea but in fact, I loved it. It was absolutely fucking perfect. Team up with Batman. He's literally the hero of Gotham. He probably has so much work to do, I can help him. That's such a perfect idea that my high mind couldn't even wrap itself around it. I'll find Batman tonight. Hopefully he doesn't beat the shit out of me.

Tiffany and I both passed out on my couch, and when I woke up, it was pretty close to night time. I was sober, and ready for the new me. The new and improved Raven Black. I went and put my Assassin uniform on, and when I was about to leave, Tiffany woke up.

"You can stay at my house and do whatever," I said, and then left before she could even respond. I climbed to the roof of my house and started my running jump. I jumped off the edge of my roof and flew away. I needed to go to the spotlight. I know that's what Gordon uses to signal Batman. I landed pretty gracefully on the building, and saw the spotlight. It was actually pretty cool looking. I turned it on and all I had to do was wait. I really hoped nobody just randomly saw me and started shooting.

After what felt like forever, which was probably a half an hour, I heard the sound a cape behind me. He must think I'm a regular human who doesn't have amped up senses. My eyes can see tiny little muscles movements and he thinks he can sneak up behind me. I laughed and turned around to see him. Batman was truly awesome. He took my breath away. He just looked so dark, and his suit was so cool. He had a dark look on his face, and he seemed mad but I was starting to think that's just the symbol of Batman.

"What do you want?" he growled.

"A couple of things," I said, smiling. I didn't know where to start and he was kinda freaking me out. But I knew I had to do this. "I wanted to say thank you for saving my life. I owe you one. Maybe, just maybe, I even owe you two. Not only did you save my life, you saved me... in a way. The last time we fought, you told me I was a disgrace. And I wouldn't hear it then but trust me, I've heard it now. I really have. I know you can't trust me, I know that, but please trust that I understand what I've become. I understand fully what it means. And... I want to change."

"You were going to let yourself die on that building," he said, his voice still a growl.

"I was, yeah. That's because I thought I was worthless, evil, disgusting, terrible, and I thought I deserved to die for the things I have done. That hasn't changed. But I'm an Assassin at heart; and I fight for the Creed, not for myself. I'm trying to change for the Creed... and for my best friend," I said.

"What does that have to do with me?" he asked.

"I... I thought that maybe I could start this journey by... by accompanying you on missions and saving people."

His eyes widened and there was genuine shock on his face. I could barely see his eyes. He does a very good job at hiding who he is. Then his face turned to a scowl. "No, I work alone," he said, and then jumped off the building and flew away. I did not waste any time and jumped right after him, following him. I flew on top of him. If I reached my hand out, I could touch his back. He veered to the right, but I could sense that what he was going to do and followed him still. I could tell he was getting annoyed and he finally landed on a building. I landed right in front of him.

"I work alone!" he snarled.

"No shit! Do you think I need someone at my side all the time? No, I don't! But you're... you're Batman! You're supposed to help people and save this city! So I'm asking for your help! Help me become a better person! I will follow all of your rules and I will not betray you. Just let me prove it to you, please," I begged. I don't know why I was acting like this. I felt like a completely different person already. I was so desperate to be good, to be an Assassin again, and I knew Batman was my way to get there.

He sighed. "One mission and we'll see from there." My heart leapt out of my fucking chest and I almost wanted to hug him, but I refrained.

"Thank you, oh my God!" I exclaimed.

"No killing. If you're an Assassin, you should know how to knock people out properly. No guns. You do as I say. Do you understand?" he growled. It felt like I being initiated again. I can still clearly remember that moment when Jacob took me to the Creed, and the leader of the Assassin's, Arno Dorian, initiated me.

"Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent. Hide in plain sight. Never compromise the Brotherhood," he said. I will never forget looking up at him and seeing the scars on his face. Across his eye and on the cheek. He had such a fierce look to him, but after I got to know him, he seemed like a normal person to me. I don't believe in God, or any religion for that matter, because I learned the truth from the Brotherhood. Ever since I got kicked out, I question it because I don't think the Assassin's afterlife applies to me anymore. Assassin's are reincarnated. Arno was an Assassin during the French Revolution, and when he died, he was reborn and became an Assassin again. It makes me wonder if I had a past life.

"I understand," I said. Batman walked to the edge of the building and stopped. I followed him.

"In that warehouse down there is Michael Murphy. He's been kidnapping children. We're going to save those children and then give Michael the justice he deserves. We'll leave him for the police. No killing, Raven. None," Batman said.

"No killing?! Michael Murphy doesn't just kidnap children! He kills them and he -" Batman cut me off.

"I know what he does to them. My rule still applies. If you kill him, you will not work with me anymore."

"If I was an Assassin, they would have me kill him..." I muttered.

"You're not one, and you're with me, so do as I say, Raven, or I'll fucking -" I cut him off this time.

"Christ, I got it! Let's just fucking do this then."

He sighed, then jumped off this building and very beautifully landed on top of the warehouse. I followed him and landed even quieter. He glanced back at me, but continued. He opened a window on the roof, and I thought he was insane for doing that. There could be traps underneath; but luckily, this time it was safe. He dropped down and landed on a beam. I did the same thing, and then stopped to assess what was going on.

Underneath me was just beds. Except that those beds and kids on them and they were chained to the beds. There was another room, and I assumed that was Michael's room. There were only a few guards, but knowing I couldn't kill them made this harder. There was seven guards patrolling the barracks. I was trying to come up with my own plan but I knew I needed to follow Batman's plan. I looked at him and waited for some signal.

He took out a blade that was carved into his Batman symbol, which I thought was cool and funny, and he threw it at a guard. What happened to no killing?! The guard he threw it at went down, but I realized he had injected his blades with some sort of serum to make them pass out. Probably anastasia. Too bad I couldn't do that because my poision blades don't work that way.

The other guards immediately turned and ran to the guard that fell down. They saw the blade that was in his arm, and they all started freaking out. "Batman's here," one of them growled, holding up his gun. I decided to take some initiative and throw a smoke bomb. I dropped down from the beam and grabbed one of the guard's pressure points, pressing hard. I knew he was knocked out and managed to do it to two other guards before the smoke cleared up. I claw shotted back to the beam Batman was on, and then assessed the situation again.

Three guards left and the kids were screaming. One of the guard's started shooting randomly around him, screaming, "where are you?!" Batman and I both dropped down and landed right behind the guards.

"Here," Batman whispered and knocked that guy out. I knocked the guy in front of me out, too, and that left one guard left. Batman was already on him, and he fell to the floor. All we had left was Michael Murphy and to let the kids go free. Batman and I stopped for a moment, catching our breaths. I heard something odd. It was so faint, though. I started concentrating on the sound and closed my eyes to hear it better. Tick, tock. Tick, tock. My eyes flung wide open.

"There's a bomb!" I exclaimed and I saw Batman's eyes go wide. "We have to save the kids!" I got my mini saw out and went to the nearest bed. It was a little girl and she looked terrified but she was deathly skinny. I cut her chains and grabbed her, hoisting her over my shoulder. Batman had disappeared, but that didn't matter now. I went to the next bed and cut the little boy's chains and grabbed him. I ran as fast as I could to the other end of the warehouse, smashing the door open with a hard kick, and ran down the block and set them down. Then I went back to the warehouse.

Batman was no where to be found and I was pissed. There was eight more kids in here and I didn't know how much time that bomb had. I grabbed two more and ran out, setting them by the other kids. Then another repeat. That's when Batman finally showed up.

"Murphy is no where to be found," he said.

"Who the fuck cares about him right now! We need to get these kids out of here!" I screamed at him.

"Raven, you don't know how much time is on that bomb. The police are on their way. Let them deal with it." I couldn't believe Batman was telling me to abandon these kids. I'm starting to think that maybe he wasn't the path to success. I was basically doing this job alone now. I didn't need him. He was standing directly in my way to the rest of the four kids.

"Get out of my way," I snarled.

"Raven, you said you'd listen to me. I'm telling you to leave because there is no hope," he said.

I flicked my wrist and my hidden blade came out. "If you don't get out of my way..."

"What are you going to do? Kill me?" he growled.

"I don't play mind games," I snarled. "Now get the fuck out of my way, you're only wasting my time to save these kids."

He shook his head, and then he went through the roof window, leaving me here. What the fuck?! I thought he was a hero. I was so pissed, but it didn't even matter. I quickly grabbed two kids, hearing that ticking get faster, and ran out of the building. I could hear sirens in the distance but I knew those cops would never be brave enough to actually step into the building. That's my problem with just leaving these kids. I'm leaving them to die. I went back and I heard that ticking. It was so fast. I knew it was going to blow at any moment.

The last two kids we're crying. I knew they were scared. They knew there was a bomb in here. But these kids did not deserve this life. If I was going to die saving them, then I will. These kids have been abused relentlessly in every way possible and I am not going to let their life end by a fucking bomb. They deserve more! They deserve to be happy after all of this! My saw was having a hard time cutting through the chains so I just pushed it further. I knew my saw was going to break soon.

Tick tick tick tick tick.

That's all I could fucking hear over the sound of my own breathing. I was about to hyperventilate. I feel like I've been betrayed. I finally cut through the first kids chains and hoisted him over my shoulder. Then I moved on to the last kid. A little girl. Her face was dirty with blood and dirt. Her blonde hair was barely blonde since it was stained with blood. But when she looked at me, her blue eyes shone with hope. A deep, sickening feeling sunk into my heart. The moment my saw touched her chain, it broke.

I quickly ran outside and set the other kid down so I could focus on this little girl. I ran back inside as fast as I could, and I could hear the sound of police officers screaming at me. But it didn't matter. I had to save this little girl. My hidden blade was just going to have to cut through this metal. I didn't even know if this was going to work. I grabbed her chain and started cutting, and it was working slowly.

"Please save me," she whispered. Her voice was so small, so innocent.

"I'm going to save you if it's the last thing I do," I said, but my voice was shaking and completely shattered as I felt myself break down. Tears rolled down my cheeks and I was pissed off at myself. I can't be crying. This was just too overwhelming. My blade was halfway in her chain and I couldn't believe how the ticking got faster. I frantically cut away at her chain, literally flipping out.

"It's going to be okay," she whispered again.

"No it's not!" I exclaimed, using all my might to cut her chain. "I should be reassuring you, not you to me!"

"You should save yourself," the little girl said.

I shook my head. "If you're going to die, I'm going too." My blade was so close to cutting the chain and my heart was pumping like mad.

"My name is Alexis Young, what's yours?" she asked.

"Raina Knight," I responded and that's when my blade broke through her chain. That bomb was going to explode any second. I grabbed Alexis and started running as fast as I fucking could. My legs were burning and my heart was beating like crazy. That door seemed so far away and I knew even then it wasn't safe to make it to there. I opened my cape and tried to soar to the door, but that's when the bomb exploded.

I held Alexis close to my chest and tried to cover her as the bomb's energy propelled us forward. I felt a searing heat on my back and I screamed. Everything went in slow motion as we flew forward. We were just flying. The cool night air hit my face but my back hurt so fucking bad, I couldn't even think straight. I knew my cape had been burned off and that we were just free falling to the ground. I turned my body so that when we hit the ground, we would land on my back and Alexis would have some sort of cushion to land on.

I felt my body just slam onto the concrete. Surprisingly, I didn't feel any bones break but I knew there was a shit ton of damage. My head smacked against the ground and I felt blood run down my face. I could hear the sirens whirring around me, and everything was a blur. The pain. It hurt so much. I was in literal agony. This pain was making me wish I had died.

"A-a-a-lexis," I stuttered. The little girl lifted her head up and looked at me, and I felt relief that she was okay. Suddenly, she was grabbed from me and I could see it was a paramedic. They were going to grab me too, and I couldn't go. I would be arrested and I wouldn't be able to redeem myself that way. Through the searing pain, I stood up. I almost fell back down but this was something I needed to be strong for.

I looked around as everything went slow. The warehouse was on fire. There were police everywhere, and firetrucks, and ambulances. All of the kids had been tended to and I could see the police officers looking at me. I couldn't feel my cape hitting my legs anymore, and my back literally felt like I had just scraped it on some molten nails. I was covered in blood, and it sucked to know it was my own.

A police officer pointed at me and yelled something, but I started running again. My lungs felt like they were on fire, but I pushed through the pain. I quickly climbed on top of a building, seeing that helicopter spotlight following me, so I dropped down on the ground again, and ran down the alley. I was out of the spotlight now, and just sat by a dumpster until I could hear the helicopter go away.

It seemed like hours, but it finally went away, and I stood back up. I climbed a ladder that was on the side of an apartment complex, and just stood on top of the building to figure out what to do.

"Raven, why didn't you leave when I told you to?" I heard a growly voice from behind me. I turned around, and in that second, I forgot about the pain as I feriously grabbed Batman's arm, twisted it backwards, and shoved him to his knees. I thought about taking his mask off but in this moment, I didn't want to. It was not important. I bent his head backwards so he could see my hidden blade was going to go straight in his throat.

"GIVE ME ONE FUCKING REASON WHY I SHOULDN'T KILL YOU!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"Raven! Listen to me! I did not betray you back there!" he exclaimed. "Please, just let me explain myself!"

"I don't think you deserve it," I snarled. "You left me back there with those innocent kids. If I wouldn't have stayed, they would have died."

"Close your eyes," he said.

"No."

"Close them, please. Just trust me. Close your eyes and concentrate," he pleaded and I don't know why but I gave way to him. I sighed and let go of him and closed my eyes. The pain came back and it felt like a tsunami hit me, and I tried to not concentrate on the pain.

"What do you see?" he asked.

"Nothing," I growled.

"Try to see," he said.

I forced myself to get past the pain, to somehow block it and ignore it and concentrate on seeing with my eyes closed. He's a dumbass, clearly. I can't fucking see with my eyes closed. But then something happened. I felt a wave go out of my body and I could see. I saw the outline of the buildings and I could see people outlined in red, blue, or white. I gasped so loudly that I took a step back, and felt myself almost fall off the building. Batman grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

I had my Eagle Vision back.


End file.
